Sushi Sakai
2022.11 lunch
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北海道網走のキンキ味噌焼き
Hokkaido Abashiri kinki misoyaki
茶碗蒸し
北海道の帆立・熊本の銀杏・山口の松茸
Chawanmushi
Hokkaido hotate, Kumamoto ginko nut, Yamaguchi matsutake
余市鮟肝・奈良漬け
Yoichi monkfish liver, narazuke
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「Sushi Sakai (鮨 さかい)」in Fukuoka carries a different kind of energy from many destination sushi counters: polished, highly organized, yet still warm at the center. Opened in Akasaka in 2013 and later moved to Nishinakasu in 2017, the restaurant has become one of Kyushu’s defining Edomae sushi addresses, earning three Michelin stars and repeated top-level recognition in Japan’s dining scene.
The restaurant is led by Daigo Sakai (堺 大航), who went to Tokyo at 22 in search of a place to train and found his lifelong master, the late sushi master - Mitsuyasu Nagano (長野 充靖), at「Sushi-dokoro Umi (すし処 海味)」. After seven and a half years there, he returned to Fukuoka, worked around the fish market and logistics side of the industry, and built his own counter from the ground up.
What gives「Sushi Sakai (鮨 さかい)」its character is the way the meal balances speed, precision, and generosity. The course moves through seasonal tsumami and nigiri, with tuna standing as one of the signatures. The best tuna of the day is sourced from Toyosu’s famous tuna specialist「Yamayuki (やま幸)」, while the shari is seasoned with two kinds of red vinegar and salt, calibrated especially to bring out the richness of tuna.
The experience feels refined without becoming cold. A sukiya-zukuri counter, carefully selected sake and wine, and a team-driven rhythm all support the sushi without distracting from it. Rather than relying only on rarity or formality,「Sushi Sakai (鮨 さかい)」leaves its impression through flow: each piece arriving with clarity, confidence, and a lingering sense of hospitality.
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