Sushi in Japan: what it costs, the types to try, where to eat, how to order and sushi without raw fish

Why is sushi so popular in Japan?

In Japan, sushi is everyday food as well as a treat. In a 2026 survey by Umios (formerly Maruha Nichiro), a Japanese fishing and food company, 65.1% of 13,264 people aged 15 to 59 across Japan said they eat at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants, and 38.7% of those diners went at least once a month, not counting takeaway. Among 3,000 people who eat at one at least monthly, 52.7% had also done so while travelling.

In its Australian guide to dishes not to miss, JNTO, Japan's national tourism organisation, explains the appeal: "With these bite size servings, you can eat as much or as little sushi as you like." Its sushi guide adds: "You can eat sushi at a variety of price points." A plate at a big conveyor-belt chain can cost as little as 110 yen, and the price climbs from there with the kind of restaurant (more on prices below).

Visitors from abroad feel the appeal too. Of those the Japan Tourism Agency surveyed as they left Japan in 2025, 13.7% said sushi was the food that had satisfied them most, putting it third after meat dishes (32.5%) and ramen (19.7%). Canadians ranked it second, at 19.7% against 19.4% for meat dishes, and among Britons (19.0%) and Americans (16.4%) it came third.

How much does sushi cost in Japan?

Japan's Statistics Bureau publishes official average prices every month in its Retail Price Survey. It covers 167 municipalities, roughly 28,000 outlets and around 500 items, and survey staff visit representative shops each month to record what they charge. Four of its items are sushi:

• A pack of 8 to 10 standard nigiri bought in a shop, not a restaurant
• Inari sushi, sold in packs of 3 to 5 and priced per piece
• A standard serving of nigiri at a restaurant, eaten in (takeaway does not count)
• A plate of two lean tuna (akami) nigiri at a conveyor-belt restaurant, eaten in

These were the averages in Tokyo's 23 wards, including tax:

The conveyor-belt plate rose the most: by 30 yen, or 14.2%, over the year to September 2026. A serving of nigiri at a restaurant went up by 98 yen (5.5%), while the shop-bought pack fell by 16 yen (1.8%) and a piece of inari cost 85 yen at both ends of the year.

Sushi prices by city

The survey prices its sushi items only in the 47 prefectural capitals, with Tokyo's 23 wards standing in for Tokyo; its 34 other cities do not report them. The table lists 20 capitals on many visitors' routes, roughly from north to south, with the figures for August 2026, the most recent month available for every capital.

Across all 47 capitals, the conveyor-belt plate was cheapest in Nara (115 yen), then Kyoto, Otsu, Osaka and Shizuoka (120 yen each) and Wakayama (126 yen), so five of the six cheapest are in the Kansai region. It was dearest in Yamaguchi (557 yen), Toyama (458 yen), Hiroshima (425 yen), Aomori (414 yen) and Yokohama (404 yen). Tokyo's 23 wards, at 241 yen, were 30th from the cheapest and above the 47-city average of 221 yen.

A serving of nigiri at a restaurant cost least in Tokushima (1,020 yen), Tottori (1,039 yen) and Oita (1,050 yen), and most in Naha (2,305 yen), Fukui (2,189 yen), Yamagata (2,150 yen) and Nagasaki (2,100 yen); Tokyo, at 1,876 yen, was the seventh dearest, against an average of 1,585 yen. The shop-bought pack ranged from 609 yen in Miyazaki to 1,388 yen in Niigata, with Tokyo's 880 yen close to the average of 889 yen, and a piece of inari from 47 yen in Miyazaki to 96 yen in Tsu. A cheap plate does not make a city cheap for sushi overall: Nara, with the cheapest plate, charged 1,735 yen for a serving of nigiri, above the average, and its pack, at 1,221 yen, was the second dearest.

What the conveyor-belt chains charge

The big conveyor-belt chains publish their own prices. This site checked the websites of Kura Sushi, Hama Sushi and Sushiro on 9 October 2026. Prices are per plate and include tax.

Kura Sushi cut its minimum plate price from 115 yen to 110 yen on 4 September 2026 but raised 33 items that had cost 115 yen, salmon among them, to 120 yen, citing the rising cost of ingredients, a weak yen that has pushed up purchasing costs, and energy costs. Tuna with green onion, egg, hamburger steak, corn and an aged tuna came down to 110 yen, and new 110-yen plates carry two toppings at once, salmon with prawn, tuna or egg, bringing the number of 110-yen items to 37. The cheapest plate is not the same at every shop: each of Kura Sushi's minimum prices came down by 5 yen, so shops that started at 115, 120, 130 or 150 yen now start at 110, 115, 125 or 145 yen.

Hama Sushi lists its prices with and without tax and charges the same whether you eat in or take away. Its 56 urban-type shops, most of them in Tokyo and the neighbouring prefectures, use a separate menu that this site did not check, and nine shops in Tokyo, including two in Akihabara and those in Ikebukuro and Ginza, ask you to check prices at the shop.

Sushiro's shop list gives each shop's starting price per plate. This site counted the shops in six prefectures on 9 October 2026:

In the five prefectures outside Tokyo, 125 of the 175 shops start at 120 yen, but in Tokyo 59 of the 72 start at 130 or 150 yen. The 150-yen shops include those in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Asakusa, Akihabara, Yurakucho and Ikebukuro, and the one in Yaechika, the underground shopping street in Yaesu. The two 170-yen shops are in Dotonbori in Osaka and Gion in Kyoto.

Is sushi cheap in Japan?

It depends on where you eat it. JNTO's sushi guide notes that in many countries sushi is an expensive dinner kept for special occasions. In Tokyo in September 2026, the survey's conveyor-belt plate averaged 241 yen, less than a plate of gyoza (386 yen), a regular beef bowl (491 yen) or a bowl of ramen (620 yen). That plate holds two pieces, though, so a meal means several plates. In the Umios survey, regular conveyor-belt diners said they usually eat 9.9 plates on average and pay 1,980 yen a head, with between 1,000 and 2,000 yen the most common answer (45.7%).

Sit-down sushi costs more. A serving of nigiri at a restaurant averaged 1,876 yen in Tokyo, about twice the curry rice average of 902 yen. Omakase, where the chef chooses for you and which JNTO's sushi guide describes as the higher-end option, costs more again; this site does not quote a price. JNTO's Australian site gives an idea of how high prices can go at the top end: "A symbol of luxury and great taste, a single piece of otoro could cost over AU$50 in some restaurants."

To see how sushi fits into a day's spending, compare it with ramen in Japan, then plan the whole budget with our guide to the cost of a trip to Japan or the budget calculator.

How do you say sushi in Japanese?

In Japanese, sushi is called sushi, just as in English. In hiragana it is written すし, two characters read su and shi.

Japanese is written with three scripts, hiragana, katakana and kanji, and you can meet the word in each of them:

• Hiragana: すし (す su, し shi).
• Kanji: 寿司, the spelling in the names of Kura Sushi (くら寿司) and Hama Sushi (はま寿司).
• Katakana: スシ, as at the start of Sushiro's name (スシロー).

In longer words, sushi is often spelt -zushi in the Latin alphabet. Conveyor-belt sushi is kaitenzushi (回転寿司), the word in the title of Umios's survey, and the main types are nigirizushi, makizushi, temakizushi, chirashizushi, oshizushi and inarizushi. What the word itself means is explained in the next section, and phrases for ordering come later, in the section on how to eat sushi.

Sushi words to know

These words help when you order. Many of them can be written in more than one way, so the table gives common spellings.

These are toppings you will often see. Fish names, too, can appear in more than one script.

How is sushi in Japan different from sushi abroad?

JNTO's sushi guide opens with a warning: "As a result of the global expansion of this iconic dish, many misconceptions about sushi have developed." The commonest, it says, is the belief that sushi just means raw fish. In fact the word joins su and meshi, Japanese for vinegar and rice.

Some favourites abroad are hard to find in Japan. JNTO notes that the California roll is barely known there. It is an inside-out roll, or ura-makizushi, the reverse of a standard roll: "The rice is on the outside and the seaweed on the inside."

Quality is judged differently too. JNTO says many foreign visitors misunderstand what Japanese diners count as good sushi. Each morning the fish markets hold their tuna auctions, and JNTO notes: "High-quality tuna will be bought by the higher end sushi restaurants." The guide goes on: "But there's more to great sushi than superior ingredients. A sushi chef's skills are, arguably, just as important." Much of that skill goes into the rice, or shari: "The balance between the vinegar and the sugar, the quantity of rice packed into each nigiri and even the firmness of the rice are all details to be considered."

Nor is fresher always better. In JNTO's words: "Also, keep in mind that not all sushi is best served fresh. For example, many shiromi, or white-meat fish, are good when aged in controlled environments." How long a fish is aged depends largely on how fatty it is and how big the pieces are. Aged fish is not only for expensive counters: Kura Sushi's menu has aged tuna (jukusei maguro) plates at 110 and 120 yen.

What are the different types of sushi in Japan?

JNTO's sushi guide describes ten well-known kinds. These six are the ones to know before you order; regional styles, including fermented sushi, come later in this guide.

• Nigiri (nigirizushi): the most familiar kind. JNTO describes it like this: "It consists of a hand molded mound of specially prepared rice with the neta (sushi topping) draped over it." GO TOKYO, Tokyo's official travel guide, puts it more simply, as "sushi rice topped with a thin slice of fresh fish".
• Maki (makizushi): rolled sushi. "The chef places neta on a bed of rice and then tightly rolls it up with a bamboo mat to produce the distinctive shape."
• Temaki (temakizushi): a cone of seaweed (nori) that you hold in your hand. "The ingredients are placed on nori and rolled by hand into a cone shape. One end of the cone is closed while the neta spills out the other."
• Chirashi (chirashizushi): the name means scattered sushi. GO TOKYO describes it as rice mixed with seasoned vegetables, served in a bowl and topped with egg and assorted seafood.
• Oshizushi: pressed sushi. "Oshizushi is a type of sushi where the rice is laid in a box with neta on top and then compressed with a bamboo mold." "Battera mackerel sushi is a famous type of oshizushi."
• Inari (inarizushi): rice in a pouch of fried tofu, with no fish on top. JNTO's Australian site lists "inari sushi (rice wrapped in tofu skin)" among the cheap foods you can buy at convenience stores.

Sashimi, slices of raw fish without rice, is often on the menu at sushi restaurants but is not itself sushi. JNTO explains that it comes without rice so that the fish's own flavour can come through.

What is the most popular sushi in Japan?

Salmon. In Umios's 2026 survey of 3,000 people who eat at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants at least once a month, 47.7% said salmon was a topping they eat often, putting it first every year since 2012, 15 years in a row (until 2018 the survey covered only the Kanto and Kansai regions). Lean tuna came second (36.4%), followed by prawn (27.8%), chutoro tuna (27.4%) and Japanese amberjack (27.2%).

Asked to pick the one topping they eat most often, the 2,951 respondents who named at least one answered:

Salmon came first among both men and women, but far more women chose it: 26.9%, against 17.1% of men. Third place differed, with chutoro (7.3%) for men and prawn (9.1%) for women. The respondents' own reasons help explain the order. Salmon fans said it is cheap and tasty, rich in fat and comes in many varieties. Lean tuna fans said it tastes reliably good whatever the season and has the most umami. Prawn fans liked its bite and the many flavours it comes in, so they never tire of it, and chutoro fans said it is easy to eat without being heavy, with just the right amount of fat, and softer than lean tuna.

Salmon also leads at both ends of the meal. It was the most common first plate (19.4%), ahead of lean tuna (13.3%) and chutoro (6.9%), although men were slightly more likely to start with lean tuna (15.4%) than with salmon (14.7%). It was also the most common last plate (9.7%), ahead of lean tuna (5.5%), with negitoro and egg joint third (3.9% each). Asked which toppings are the best value, diners again put salmon first (17.7%), then lean tuna (15.3%), negitoro (7.2%) and Japanese amberjack (7.1%).

The survey also asked which toppings diners often hold back from ordering. Top of that list were fatty tuna belly (otoro, 17.6%), sea urchin (uni, 11.4%), salmon roe (ikura, 9.6%) and chutoro (9.0%). JNTO's Australian site describes otoro like this: "Cut from the sought-after fatty belly of bluefin tuna, otoro will literally melt in your mouth leaving a fusion of rich tuna flavour and a creamy texture."

Is there cooked sushi in Japan?

Yes, and plenty of it. As JNTO's sushi guide puts it, "While the dish is synonymous with raw fish now, there is much more to the story." At Hama Sushi, for example, egg (tamago), seared prawn with mayonnaise and nigiri topped with lotus-root tempura cost 110 yen a plate; prawn or squid tempura nigiri and simmered anago cost 132 yen; and seared eel (unagi) costs 176 yen. Hama Sushi also has a vegetable plate, aubergine with wasabi, for 110 yen; it is eat-in only and not sold in Hokkaido, Kyushu or Okinawa. Kura Sushi's plates with no raw fish include egg, hamburger steak and corn at 110 yen and anago at 120 yen.

Inari, rice in fried tofu with no fish on top, averaged 85 yen a piece in Tokyo in September 2026. Mackerel sushi is cured rather than cooked: according to Japan's farm ministry, the mackerel for Kyoto's saba-zushi is salted and lightly pickled in vinegar, and battera, the best-loved pressed sushi of the Kansai region, is made with vinegared mackerel.

If you would rather avoid raw food altogether, the allergy card can say so for you. Tick No raw fish or raw egg (cooked food only) under the diet options, and the card tells staff in Japanese that you cannot eat raw fish or raw egg; show it on your phone or print it.

Where can you eat sushi in Japan?

Almost anywhere, and at almost any budget. In the words of JNTO's sushi guide, "Whatever your preferred dining style is, there is a sushi option for you." These are the main choices. The Tokyo averages are the government's figures for September 2026, and the chain prices come from the companies' websites.

Conveyor-belt sushi (kaitenzushi)

JNTO calls kaitenzushi "sushi-go-round": plates circle the room on a belt, and you take whatever you like. It suggests it as an easy first taste of sushi, and one that children enjoy; our guide to Japan with kids has more on eating out as a family. The guide adds: "While most kaitenzushi restaurants are quite cheap, there are mid-range options as well."

Most regulars now order what they want rather than wait for it to come round. In Umios's 2026 survey of regular conveyor-belt diners, 75.2% said most of what they eat is ordered and made for them, against 24.8% who mostly take plates from the belt; among women the figure was 81.2%. Being able to order on a touch panel came fifth among the reasons for choosing a restaurant (24.3%), after a low price (36.2%), fresh toppings (28.1%), being close to home (26.4%) and a wide choice (25.3%).

Booking ahead is normal too: 61.7% said they more often reserve a place in the queue by phone, online or through an app before they go. Three in four (75.5%) usually sit at a table rather than at the counter, and plenty of people go alone: 41.2% had been on their own, and another 30.8% had not but would like to.

Sushi is rarely the whole meal. Asked how many dishes other than sushi they usually order, diners averaged 2.5 (2.8 for men and 2.2 for women), and only 6.9% said none. The five favourites were chawanmushi (29.7%), miso soup (28.8%), French fries (28.5%), udon noodles (21.2%) and ramen (20.5%); men most often chose miso soup (28.7%) and women chawanmushi (36.5%). At Kura Sushi, chawanmushi costs 250 yen and is for eating in only, fries cost 210 yen, udon 250 yen and ramen from 480 yen, all including tax.

Neighbourhood sushi bars

For something more personal, JNTO suggests starting at an unpretentious local sushi bar: "These are mom and pop stores that double as local hangouts." On cost, it adds: "Prices vary but are still on the lower end of the spectrum." If you are short of time, many big stations have small sushi bars where you eat standing up.

Sushi counters and omakase

JNTO's guide describes the Edomae, or Tokyo, style: "Edomae sushi typically involves a counter where customers sit. The chef forms the nigiri and slices the fish after the customer has ordered and serves it immediately." For omakase, its advice is to book. Seats are limited: "In Japan, restaurants listed in famous European guidebooks often have fewer seats than those in other countries; for example, they only have eight seats at the counter." Walking in on the day rarely works at a popular restaurant, so if you have one in mind, check for free seats while you plan the trip.

Supermarkets, convenience stores and station bento

Supermarkets and convenience stores sell ready-made sushi to take away, from packs of nigiri to rolls and inari, and the chains do takeaway too. On Hama Sushi's nationwide menu, a 12-piece set for one person costs 900, 1,100 or 1,300 yen depending on the set; shops in Hokkaido and the chain's urban-type shops have their own prices. Our guide to Japanese convenience stores covers what else to buy there.

At stations, look for ekiben; some of them are regional sushi. One is Toyama's trout sushi, masuzushi. According to Japan's farm ministry, "Masuzushi is often sold as a train station bento, and also can be found in supermarkets, convenience stores, and highway service areas." It keeps well: "There are single-layer and double-layer varieties, and these have a shelf life of three to four days, even in the summer." Do not put it in the fridge, though: "Masuzushi is best stored at room temperature, as the vinegared rice hardens when refrigerated." Nara's kakinoha-zushi, wrapped in persimmon leaves, is another: "As a representative souvenir of Nara, it is sold at events in department stores nationwide and as ekiben (boxed lunches at train stations), and is widely popular." Both appear again under regional sushi below.

Where is the best place to eat sushi in Tokyo?

That depends on your budget, and this guide does not rank restaurants. For a sushi breakfast, though, GO TOKYO points visitors to the city's two fish markets. Of Toyosu, it says: "Get there early to enjoy the lively atmosphere and a sushi breakfast." Of Tsukiji: "You can feast on the freshest sushi for breakfast at the surrounding restaurants or pick up some unique souvenirs, from seaweed to sushi knives and handmade ceramics."

Toyosu Market

Toyosu is Tokyo's wholesale fish market, and a fairly new one. As GO TOKYO notes, "The Toyosu Fish Market opened on October 11, 2018." It took over from the inner market at Tsukiji: "Around 900 businesses made the move to the newer, larger space." Toyosu itself is an artificial island made in the 1930s, and the market is almost twice as big as the old one at Tsukiji. It is a working market first: "Toyosu Fish Market draws all sorts of people, from the capital's top sushi chefs to home cooks, to peruse the day's catch." Visitors are welcome too: "The general public can visit the observation corridors here, as well as the restaurants and shops."

The big draw is the early-morning tuna auction. GO TOKYO explains: "Visitors can watch the tuna auctions from the observation corridors in the Fisheries Wholesale Market Building." There are two ways to see it:

• From the 2F visitors' walkway: no application is needed. The market's FAQ (in Japanese) says the walkway opens at 5:00 and there is no limit on numbers.
• From the observation deck: GO TOKYO says the deck brings you closer to the action, but you need to book in advance. Places go by a free raffle that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which runs the market, holds for each month's tours.

The market has 38 restaurants. The biggest group, 22 of them, is on 3F of the Fisheries Intermediate Wholesale Market Building; another 13 are on 3F of the Management Facilities Building, and the remaining three are on 1F of the Fruits and Vegetables Building. Uogashi Yokocho, also in the Fisheries Intermediate Wholesale Market Building, has about 70 shops selling fruit and vegetables, dried foods, seasonings and kitchen knives. For a break afterwards: "There is even a grassy rooftop garden square where visitors can appreciate views of Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower."

Tsukiji Outer Market

Tsukiji is where the old market stood. GO TOKYO sums up its history: "From 1935 to late 2018, Tsukiji was home to one of the most famous fish markets in the world." It goes on: "The inner section has since relocated to nearby Toyosu, but the outer market is still in place and as intriguing as it ever was." Its 460 or so shops sell food and kitchen tools for professional cooks, and you can walk there from Ginza or Shiodome.

One stop to make: "The Tsukiji Uogashi fresh market located in the outer market is filled with around 60 shops, and visitors can watch a professional fillet a whole tuna." Visitors cannot enter its 1F market floor before 9:00, although Uogashi Shokudo, the 3F food court, is open from 7:00.

Go in the morning. GO TOKYO suggests a visit from 9:00 to 13:00, when the market is at its busiest, and warns: "Most stores close before evening." Check the day, too: "The market is closed on Wednesdays, Sundays, and national holidays, so many shops are closed on those days as well."

Bring cash: "Although electronic payments are commonly used throughout Tokyo, most stores in Tsukiji Outer Market are cash only." Our guide to cash or card in Japan explains what to carry.

Eating while walking is not allowed here, so GO TOKYO asks: "To avoid bothering workers and other visitors, please eat any food you purchase in-store, or in designated dining areas." Rubbish goes back to the shops as well: "Throw garbage away at garbage cans in the stores." Public bins are rare across Japan, as our guide to Japan's rules for tourists explains. The alleys are narrow and the shops small, so avoid going in a large group.

Leave time for the kitchen shops, too: "Japanese cooking items, such as bamboo sushi mats and matcha utensils, are especially popular among visitors." For more ideas, see our guide to Japanese souvenirs. If you need help, the market's Information Center has maps of the shops, leaflets, and information in several languages on getting around and on sights nearby.

Getting there is easy: "Tsukiji Outer Market is close to Tsukiji Station, along the Hibiya Line; Tsukijishijo Station, along the Oedo Line; and Higashi-ginza Station, along the Hibiya and Asakusa Lines." The Tokyo Subway Ticket covers all three lines. It also covers the Yurakucho Line to Toyosu Station, where you can change to the Yurikamome for Shijo-mae, but the Yurikamome itself is not included.

How do you eat sushi in Japan?

JNTO's sushi guide starts its advice on manners by putting visitors at ease: "Sushi eating etiquette is simple, but it is important to be aware of basic etiquette." The everyday chopstick rules apply at a sushi meal as at any other, and you will find them in our guide to what to eat in Japan. Beyond those, the guide adds: "For sushi specifically, there are a few things to keep in mind."

The first is about soy sauce, and JNTO is clear: "There is correct form for dipping in soy sauce." It is the topping (neta) that should touch the sauce, not the rice (shari), and the guide explains why: "Dipping shari directly absorbs too much soy sauce, so it can overwhelm the sushi and jeopardize the structure of the rice mound." JNTO's guide to Japanese manners also advises against mixing wasabi into the soy sauce.

The same guide says that in Japan sushi is eaten either with chopsticks or with the fingers. "This is not a hard rule, however, and many Japanese will use both methods for eating depending on the situation." The sushi guide adds that chopsticks are the usual choice but fingers are fine too, especially at more expensive restaurants.

Gari, which Japan's farm ministry describes as "thin ginger slices pickled in sweetened vinegar", is meant to refresh your palate between pieces, JNTO explains, rather than to be eaten on top of the sushi.

At a conveyor-belt restaurant, you can take any plate you like from the belt, but once you have taken one, keep it: plates never go back. If you sit at a counter facing a chef, you can ask the chef for what you want instead of waiting for it to come round on the belt. You normally serve yourself green tea, too. JNTO notes that upmarket sushi bars take these rules more seriously than chains and conveyor-belt restaurants do.

How do Japanese diners actually eat it? The 3,000 regular diners in the Umios survey give an idea. Just over half said they often or fairly often use wasabi (54.2%) or eat gari (55.1%), and 73.1% said the same of drinking tea. On soy sauce they are split: 53.2% mostly pour it into a small dish and dip, while 46.8% mostly pour it over the sushi as they go, a habit more common among the young, at 57.5% of 15- to 19-year-olds against 39.7% of people in their fifties. Wasabi divides the generations too, as 60.1% of 15- to 19-year-olds and 59.0% of people in their twenties tend not to use it.

The table shows the share of each age group who do each of these things often or fairly often.

Every one of these habits becomes more common with age: among people in their fifties, about two-thirds use wasabi and 85.6% drink tea.

A few phrases help at the counter. To order, point and say Kore o onegai shimasu (これをお願いします), meaning this one, please. Osusume wa nan desu ka? (おすすめは何ですか？) asks what the chef recommends, Wasabi nuki de onegai shimasu (わさび抜きでお願いします) asks for your sushi without wasabi, and Okaikei o onegai shimasu (お会計をお願いします) asks for the bill. Our Japanese travel phrases tool has more for restaurants.

Can you eat sushi with a food allergy or as a vegetarian?

Allergies need some care. Under labelling rules from Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency, packaged processed foods must declare nine allergens when they contain them, including prawns and shrimp (えび), crab (かに), egg (卵) and wheat (小麦). Twenty more are recommended, which means makers are encouraged but not required to list them; among them are squid (いか), salmon roe (いくら), salmon (さけ), mackerel (さば) and abalone (あわび). Neither list includes tuna, sea urchin or scallop.

On a label, allergens usually appear in brackets after the ingredient that contains them, ending in を含む (contains). The agency's own example is マヨネーズ（卵・大豆を含む）, mayonnaise containing egg and soy. Our guide to Japanese snacks explains how to read a whole ingredients label.

The rules are written for packaged processed foods, so in a restaurant, ask the staff. Kura Sushi and Sushiro link to allergy information, in Japanese, from their menu pages. To say you are allergic to something, use … no arerugī ga arimasu; for prawns, that is Ebi no arerugī ga arimasu (えびのアレルギーがあります). With our allergy card, you can make a card in Japanese that lists your allergies, or says you are vegetarian or vegan, to hand to staff.

Vegetarians have fewer choices. JNTO's guide to vegan, vegetarian and halal food notes that, apart from Buddhist temple cooking, "vegetarianism and veganism are still relatively uncommon in Japan, with fish and meat being highly prevalent in many dishes." Sushi without fish does exist, though: rolls of salted plum and shiso (perilla) leaf (umeshiso maki), inari, egg (not for vegans) and, at Hama Sushi, the aubergine plate mentioned above. Seasonings vary, so ask what goes into them.

Is sushi Japanese or Chinese?

Japanese. Nigiri and the other kinds eaten today were developed in Japan, although JNTO traces the idea further back: "The history of sushi starts in the rice paddies of the Mekong Delta." Farmers there preserved fish by fermenting it in rice and salt, and threw the rice away afterwards. "This practice of making what is now called narezushi is said to have arrived in Japan at the same time as the introduction of rice cultivation."

GO TOKYO's account of Tokyo food says the fermenting could take months or even years, and that people ate only the fish. JNTO adds that the rice went to waste until around the Muromachi period, after which people began eating it along with the fish. Then, according to GO TOKYO, "With the development of rice vinegar in the 16th century came the idea of using vinegar to cure the fish for several days before eating it with rice."

By the 1800s, Edo (today's Tokyo) was a bustling city of around a million people, who grabbed quick meals at street stalls selling soba, tempura and boxes of cured fish on vinegared rice. "Then, one day, a street stall owner hit upon the idea of forming balls of vinegared rice, on which he placed pieces of fresh or lightly-seasoned fish." Each ball was much bigger than a piece of nigiri today, yet still easy to eat on the spot, and the idea caught on at once as other stalls began to copy it.

JNTO calls this new style hayazushi, which means fast sushi: chefs laid raw fish, egg or another topping on a ball of vinegared rice, and diners ate rice and topping at the same time. "This style of sushi took Japan by storm and spread across the entire country." Along the way, cooks in each region worked in their own fish and produce, which is why Japan has so many local kinds of sushi today.

The oldest kind has not disappeared. JNTO's sushi guide notes: "Funazushi is a term for narezushi, the oldest type of sushi." It is still made in Shiga Prefecture, with carp from Lake Biwa, as described below. From those beginnings, GO TOKYO observes, Japanese food, and sushi above all, has become popular all over the world.

What regional sushi should you try in Japan?

JNTO's sushi guide observes that "Japan is rich in regional differences that have created a variety of sushi styles." Many regional kinds are pressed or cured rather than made to order, and several keep well enough to be sold at stations or taken home as gifts. The table sums up six that Japan's farm ministry describes, and each has its own section below.

Trout sushi from Toyama (masuzushi)

Japan's farm ministry leaves no doubt about its standing: "Masuzushi is one of the most famous specialties of Toyama Prefecture." To make it, the base of a bentwood box is lined with bamboo leaves fanned out from the centre, and vinegared rice is spread evenly over them. Next comes a layer of cherry salmon, salted, cured in vinegar and thinly sliced, and the leaves are folded in over it like a lid. The steps are repeated for more layers, and then a weight goes on top for several hours.

Its origins are disputed, with one theory resting on records from 845, but the version most people accept begins in 1717, when a samurai serving the Toyama Domain made sushi for the domain's third lord, using ayu from the Jinzu River and local rice. It was then presented to the shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, whose delight made it a Toyama speciality. In time, ayu gave way to cherry salmon, which run up the river in spring, and today's version took shape in the late Edo and early Meiji years. Once the Hokuriku railway line opened, station sales made it known nationwide.

The ministry notes: "Masuzushi continues to age after completion, and it is said to have the richest flavor on the second day." Makers prefer cherry salmon caught around June, when it is fatty, though some use chum salmon, and in one style, uraoki, the fish goes under the rice rather than on top. "There are more than thirty producers in Toyama City alone", and each makes it differently, from how thick the fish is sliced to the mix of vinegar and salt and how hard the rice is pressed, so it is worth comparing a few.

Some products now use less vinegar to suit buyers' tastes, and frozen versions are sold for buyers who live far from Toyama. At the Masunosushi Museum in Toyama City you can learn about its history, take a factory tour and try making it yourself. Locally it is a dish for festivals, Obon and the New Year, and a popular gift.

Pressed sushi from Kanazawa

Across Ishikawa Prefecture, oshizushi is the sushi of festivals and celebrations. In Kanazawa, layers of vinegared fish and rice go into a wooden mould and are weighted down overnight, and the farm ministry explains the point of the wait: "It is said that by weighing down the fish overnight, the fish and sushi rice bring out the best of each other and harmonize with each other." Which fish goes in depends on the season and the occasion: in spring it might be sea bream, sardines or horse mackerel, in autumn mackerel or mahi-mahi. Colourful young shoots and kumquats decorate the top.

In Kaga, people also make sasa-zushi, in which fish and rice are bundled in kumazasa bamboo leaves and left under a weight overnight, and their own kakinoha-zushi, using persimmon leaves that some households pick in July and August and freeze to last the year. Families used to make dozens of servings together, with children and adults sharing the work, and hand them round to neighbours on the day of an event, and at celebrations oshizushi is piled onto Kutani porcelain platters to brighten the table. Oshizushi belongs to every big occasion: "It is eaten at New Year's, weddings and funerals, as well as spring and fall festivals."

Visitors can buy it too: "Although home production has decreased, it is still sold at local supermarkets and delicatessen stores." At some famous oshizushi restaurants, daily output runs to tens of thousands of pieces. Local volunteers have also formed the Kaga Oshi-zushi Study Group, which keeps the tradition going by offering oshizushi made the old way at festivals and events, and develops new recipes with different ingredients.

Persimmon-leaf sushi from Nara (kakinoha-zushi)

Japan's farm ministry defines it simply: "Kakinoha-zushi is pressed sushi made of salted mackerel wrapped in kakinoha (persimmon leaf) with vinegared rice." One theory takes it back to the mid-Edo period. Fishermen in Kishu, now Wakayama Prefecture, owed a heavy yearly tribute, so to raise money they salted summer mackerel from the Kumano Sea and carried it over the mountains to sell in the villages by the Yoshino River, where, the theory goes, it became a dish for the summer festivals.

The leaves come from astringent persimmon trees and are a bright green. Once made, the sushi rests overnight, and in that time the rice takes on the scent of the leaf and the taste of the mackerel. In Gojo and the Yoshino area it is made for summer festivals, once the rice has been planted and farming villages have time to rest, and children lend a hand. The ministry adds: "Sushi is still made during festivals and other events, and is also served at restaurants."

If the rice has gone hard in the fridge, the ministry suggests warming it briefly in a microwave. In winter, try it seared: give it 3–4 minutes in its leaf in a toaster oven, until the leaf just starts to blacken, taking care not to overdo it. A cousin, hakinoha-zushi, uses leaves of wild mountain magnolia instead, and its season runs from about the Boys' Festival to the end of July.

Mackerel sushi from Kyoto (saba-zushi)

Before refrigeration, mackerel caught in plenty in Wakasa Bay spoiled quickly, so it was salted, with the head and guts removed, and carried to Kyoto. The routes it travelled are nicknamed the Sabakaido, the mackerel road, the busiest being the Wakasa Kaido from Obama in Fukui Prefecture to Ohara in Kyoto Prefecture. The story goes that by the time it reached Kyoto, after a walk of some 24 hours and about 70 km, the mackerel had firmed up and taken on just the right amount of salt. Around Kyoto, cooks turned the salted fish into special-occasion dishes.

Saba-zushi is one of them. Salted mackerel fillets are rinsed in vinegared water and soaked in vinegar for about half an hour, then topped with a bar of vinegared rice, shaped into a long block, wrapped in a sheath of bamboo and lightly weighted. By the next day fish and rice have come together, and it is ready to eat; pickled ginger is sometimes tucked between the two. The farm ministry says of it: "It is known as a special dish eaten at celebrations." In Kyoto it belongs to the city's three great festivals, the Aoi, Gion and Jidai festivals, and to autumn festivals all over Kyoto Prefecture. As for soy sauce: "Saba-zushi is eaten plain but may be eaten with soy sauce."

In parts of the Tango and Keihoku regions, people also make saba nare-zushi, mainly in winter: salted mackerel and cooked rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and left to ferment, a dish for autumn festivals and other occasions. Preserving fish this way is an old practice. Wooden tablets dug up at the site of Heijo-kyo record narezushi being sent from Wakasa to the imperial court.

Battera from Osaka

Osaka has its own sushi tradition, which the farm ministry sums up like this: "In contrast to the nigirizushi of the Edo period (1603-1867), pressed sushi in a box or wooden frame is the norm in the Kansai region." Battera dates from 1894, when it was created at Sushi Tsune, a restaurant in Minami-Semba. The first battera, made with konoshiro from Osaka Bay, was shaped like a boat, hence its name, from the Portuguese for a small boat. Cheaper mackerel later took its place, and square box moulds came into use. The fish is covered with a thin sheet of kelp (shiroita kombu, which Osaka sometimes calls batterella kombu) and finished with amazu (sweet-vinegar) ginger.

It is handy to take away, too: "Because it can be eaten without soy sauce, it is also useful as a takeout or souvenir." You can buy it at restaurants around Osaka and, for not much money, at supermarkets and convenience stores. Sushi Tsune itself closed for a time, but the family's fourth generation reopened it in 2016.

Fermented carp from Shiga (funazushi)

In Shiga Prefecture, the classic example of narezushi is funazushi. The farm ministry explains: "Funa-zushi is often made from nigorobuna (crucian carp) caught in Lake Biwa." Salting starts in early spring. In summer the fish come out of the salt to be rinsed and dried, and are then arranged on a bed of rice in a tub without overlapping, before a lid and weights go on. This is the main pickling, hon-zuke, after which the fish ferment for months, ready by the New Year.

Fermentation does more than flavour the fish: "The whole crucian carp is marinated, and the lactic acid produced during fermentation softens the bones, making it possible to eat all the way down to the bones." Shiga made narezushi one of its Intangible Folk Cultural Assets in 1998, and funazushi still belongs to special days: "Funa-zushi is eaten on festive occasions such as Hare-no-hi and at New Year's, when people gather to celebrate."

It was once made in every household, but fewer families make it now, because the spawning grounds in Lake Biwa have deteriorated and non-native fish prey on the carp, leaving fewer nigorobuna. Restaurants still serve it, and it remains popular. Many who make it at home now buy ready-salted fish and do only the main pickling, and a simpler method using plastic pickling bags has drawn in new fans. JNTO's Australian guide to regional specialities warns that the flavour takes some getting used to, and adds that it is something you will find only in Japan.

Where Japanese diners would travel for sushi

Umios also asked its 3,000 regular diners which prefecture they would like to visit for conveyor-belt sushi. Hokkaido was the clear favourite, named by 1,269 people, ahead of Ishikawa (445) and Toyama (314); next came Shizuoka (187), Aomori (149), Tokyo (122), Fukui (113), Chiba (107), Niigata (96) and Kanagawa (70). For each of the top three, the table lists the toppings people most wanted to eat there, in order.

Prices differ a lot between these favourites. In the Retail Price Survey for August 2026, the conveyor-belt plate of lean tuna cost 133 yen on average in Kanazawa, Ishikawa's capital, but 458 yen in Toyama, second only to Yamaguchi among the 47 capitals. In Sapporo, Hokkaido's capital, it was 330 yen.

To cite or link to this page: Sushi in Japan: what it costs, the types to try, where to eat, how to order and sushi without raw fish — Japan Pocket Guide, https://japanpocketguide.com/food/sushi/ Copy