Top 20 Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo

Top 10 Classic Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurants

1. Katsumidori Meguro Branch

Katsumidori is a chain restaurant with a total of 10 branches, 6 of which are located in Tokyo. They are featured often by media, and are extremely famous for serving delicious dishes at affordable prices. Of all the branches, though, the one that is particularly recommended is the location in Meguro. Katsumidori is frequented not just by residents of Meguro district, but by plenty of customers who come from the surrounding areas. It's also very popular with foreign tourists of late. 

Not only is the Katsumidori Meguro Branch the first location of this sushi chain, it is also special for its extremely diverse menu, which features over 200 items! There are both counter seats and table seats available. While they do not accept reservations since they're incredibly popular, many people will line up just to get a chance to eat here!

2. Moriichi Tabata Ekimae Branch

Moriichi is a well-known chain of delicious conveyor belt sushi restaurants with five branches in Tokyo. Of those five outlets, the Tabata Ekimae Branch is recommended since it is very near the train station, being just a minute’s walk from Tabata Station. Its biggest feature is the red sushi rice (“aka shari” in Japanese) made with red vinegar. 

What sets the Tabata Ekimae Branch apart from the other branches is its unique menu that includes “shari-sho” for sushi with less rice, and “half & half” for sushi pieces with two toppings. Another major characteristic of this branch is that all the sushi plates come at a flat price of 150 yen per plate.

3. Nemuro Hanamaru KITTE Marunouchi Branch

Nemuro Hanamaru is a restaurant where you can eat fish from Nemuro. The majority of their outlets are in Hokkaido with around 10 branches, but they also operate two branches in Tokyo. Of those two, the KITTE Marunouchi Branch is particularly recommended due to its close proximity to Tokyo Station.

More than anything, the main characteristic of the Nemuro Hanamaru KITTE Marunouchi Branch is that customers are able to savor fresh fish from the Nemuro area. When it comes to representative sushi toppings, the most famous topping is the soft roe of Pacific cod called “Madachi”, but other toppings that you will not be able to eat unless you go to Hokkaido are also very popular, such as live surf clam and live spiral-shelled snail. Recently, many foreign visitors have been visiting this restaurant as well!

4. Numazuko Ginza 1st

Numazuko  Ginza 1st was a winner on a Japanese TV show called TV Champion, and is one of the top, classic conveyor belt sushi restaurants in Japan where you can taste fresh sushi toppings caught at Numazu port. The majority of the items in their menu are priced between the upper half of 100 yen to the lower half of 200 yen, and while the prices are slightly higher than those offered by other conveyor belt sushi places, the quality is superb.

Aside from the overall high quality, Ginza Numazuko 1st also has various unique items in their menu. One of their top picks is the Mt. Fuji Assorted Fresh Sea Urchin, which is arranged in the image of Numazu, from which you see Mt. Fuji clearly. Customers also rave about their other sushi plates with toppings that can only be found at Numazu port, such as fresh whitebait and fresh sakura shrimp. 

5. Edokko Kanda Branch

Edokko Kanda Branch is located in front of Kanda Station, so it is very convenient when you feel like dropping in on your way home from work or during some other occasion. The branch in Kanda is especially popular owing to its location in an office district, and it's even open until late at night!

Edokko is often visited by office workers after work, so the menu is filled with sashimi, snacks, Japanese sake, and other dishes and drinks. It's especially popular as a spot to gather to get some drinks in! There is also a menu for children, so it's a great place to go with your family and kids.

6. Sushi-Daidokoya Shibuya Main Branch

Sushi-Daidokoya Shibuya Main Branch is considered to be the most famous among the conveyor belt sushi joints in Shibuya. It is located on top of Dogenzaka, so it is actually at the heart of Shibuya! The entire area is brightly illuminated at night on the weekends and it's open until 6:00 am the next day on Friday and Saturday. 

It's visited by many customers at night, but it is also famous for its lunch menu during the day. It serves lunchtime service at 11:00 am - 2:30 pm on weekdays. Here, you can eat various kinds of lunch bowl sets with miso soup for just 500 yen (excl. tax), so is easily a place where you can enjoy lunch every day.

7. Moriichi Jimbocho Branch

We mentioned the Tabata branch of Moriichi, but the Jimbocho branch is also a great choice! Jimbocho is an area known for having many shops selling secondhand books. You can swing by this spot when you suddenly get hungry while searching for books.

It's just a short walk from the Jimbocho intersection near Suidobashi. The most popular item at this restaurant is the Half & Half. There are other sushi restaurants that offer the same thing, but at Moriichi Jimbocho Branch, you can do half-and-half on a considerably long list of toppings, so you will be able to taste various sushi toppings.

8. Toriton Tokyo Solamachi Branch

Toriton Tokyo is a sushi chain that offers fresh fish and seafood from Hokkaido. They have 130 branches in Hokkaido, and the Tokyo Solamachi Branch is one of 2 locations in Tokyo. Based on a Japanese customer satisfaction survey conducted by Oricon, they were ranked No. 1 in terms of food service for conveyor belt sushi restaurants!

Toriton’s Solamachi Branch is mainly known for treating customers to reasonably priced sushi using various fresh seafood toppings from Hokkaido. It is especially famous for the gunkan (a battleship-shaped sushi roll) with komaikko (saffron cod roe), but if you visit, it would also be a great idea to sample classic Hokkaido seafood toppings such as surf clams and salmon. Be prepared to line up, though, as the lines get quite long with customers hoping to try this famous restaurant's fare!

9. Katsu Seibu Ikebukuro Branch

Katsu Seibu Ikebukuro Branch is one of the branches of sushi chain restaurant Katsu. It's located inside Seibu Ikebukuro Department Store, but it is open until 11:00 pm so you don't need to worry if your shopping takes more time than expected. The area around the shopping district of Ikebukuro has a more subdued atmosphere than the center of Ikebukuro, so you can dine in peace.

The sushi toppings at Katsu Seibu Ikebukuro Branch are bigger, more delicious, and cheaper than they are at other restaurants. It is no wonder then that it is so famous and there is always a line of customers waiting outside its doors. However, it is definitely worth your time to line up as it would mean you can get your fill of delicious sushi at an affordable price!

10. Daikokusan

Daikokusan is a long-established conveyor belt sushi restaurant that is located near Machida Station in the outskirts of Tokyo, which is about a 40-minute ride on the Odakyu Limited Express from Shinjuku Station. Machida is a Tokyo suburb that has a population size close to that of Hachioji City at around 400,000 people, so it is a metropolis that can hold its own even when compared to the capitals of other prefectures in Japan. This restaurant’s popularity is proven by the fact that, despite the presence of many sushi restaurants there, it's still standing and serving customers!

The tuna and soup at Daikokusan are highly recommended. They serve Pacific bluefin tuna, and you can order akami (lean meat), chutoro (medium-fatty tuna), and otoro (fattiest part of tuna), as well as sampler sets containing those three parts. They also have an incredibly rich variety of soups on the menu. Restaurants generally serve clam soup and seaweed soups, but at Daikokusan, they serve tasty soups that go well with sushi such as anko (monkfish) soup.

Top 5 Little-Known Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurants

1. Miura Misakiko Ueno Branch

Miura Misakiko is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain that has many branches in Kanagawa. The branch in Ueno is their only location in Tokyo, so it can be considered as a little-known conveyor belt sushi spot in Tokyo. It is just a 5-minute walk from the Shinobazu Exit of Ueno Station, so it is very easy to get to.

Above all else, their top specialty is tuna! Of its sushi offerings, the Maguro Nakaochi (leftover flesh on the spine of fish) priced at 100 yen (excl. tax) is frequently featured in the media. Even though it's only 100 yen, it is quite voluminous and really delicious! Having sushi that tastes like this at such a low price is truly special even for Miura Misakiko, so you have to order it when you visit!

2. Morimori Sushi Trie Keio Chofu Branch

Morimori Sushi is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant with many branches in Ishikawa. In the Kanto region, their only branches are the ones in Higashikurume in Saitama and Chofu in Tokyo. The branch in Tokyo is located in a prime spot inside the Chofu Station Building, so it is quite easy to reach.

Many of the items at Morimori Sushi are priced at 200 yen or more, so they may be a little more expensive than those you find at other sushi restaurants, but it's worth it to taste the delicious sushi toppings from the Hokuriku region. The staple sushi toppings here are nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) and hotaru ika (firefly squid). There is also a selection of some of the best local sake from Hokuriku.

3. Hinatomaru Suidobashi Branch

Hinatomaru Suidobashi Branch is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant in a prime spot that is about a minute’s walk from Suidobashi Station. Operated by a wholesaler of seafood, this restaurant offers fresh fish delivered straight from the market. It is known for being a conveyor belt sushi restaurant that serves fresh ingredients sourced from all over Japan.

They have two specialties here: one is the rare and fat meat from the head of tuna, and the other is the nimono (dish cooked by boiling or simmering), which also goes around on the conveyor belt. It goes great with alcohol, too!

4. Himawari Sushi Shintoshi Branch

Himawari Sushi Shintoshin Branch is a sushi restaurant that is located in a convenient location that is just a few minutes’ walk from the South Exit of Shinjuku Station. The sushi is formed by hand upon order, but they're still exceptionally quick! And since it’s in Shinjuku, it's very popular with both locals and foreign travelers.

Most of the sushi items at this restaurant are reasonably priced at around 150 yen. Even the donburi (rice bowl with topping) dishes served at lunch are affordable at just about 500 yen, so a lot of businessmen and students come to eat delicious and affordable meals.

5. Mawaru Sushi Zanmai Tsukiji Branch

Tsukiji's known for its high-quality and fresh fish, so you might not have an image of dining at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant here of all places, but Mawaru Sushi Zanmai Tsukiji Branch is definitely a solid spot to go to for great quality sushi at an excellent price.

They also periodically hold promotions at all of their branches. For instance, in 2019, they served a northern bluefin tuna that the restaurant won in an auction at the record price of 333.6 million yen at the first seafood auction in Tsukiji. You have to hurry, though, because the promotions are over as soon as the tuna runs out!

Top 5 Reasonably Priced Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurants

1. Sushiro Minami Ikebukuro Branch

Sushiro is a super popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant. It's popular all across Japan for having delicious sushi rice and a great selection of sushi toppings even when compared to other major conveyor belt sushi restaurants, all at a reasonable price!

Sushiro Minami Ikebukuro Store is located very conveniently just about a 3-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station’s South Exit. It can easily be reached on foot, so try this restaurant’s affordable and delicious sushi!

2. Sushi Daidokoya Sangen-Jaya Branch

Sushi-Daidokoya Sangen-Jaya Branch is located a 3-minute walk from Sangen-jaya Station on Suzuran Street. It is a famous restaurant that was also featured in the TV show “Kodoku no Gourmet” (Solitary Gourmet), so it comes as no surprise that it is packed with customers until late into the night.

The lowest price of sushi at this branch in Sangen-Jaya is 120 yen, with the prices increasing in 60-yen increments. This restaurant offers a wide array of sushi items, but there are also nimono and snacks, so plenty of office workers come here for a drink.

3. Mawashi Sushi Tairyo

Mawashi Sushi Tairyo is located on the road right behind Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro Station. Ikebukuro is a highly competitive area when it comes to sushi, but Mawashi Sushi Tairyo is still considered as one of the most valuable conveyor belt sushi restaurants in the area. This restaurant is frequented by many older customers, but that is maybe due in part to the fact that it has been around for a long time.

The biggest selling point of Mawashi Sushi Tairyo is the low prices of its sushi. All plates here come at a really affordable price of 135 yen (incl. tax). There are also hand-formed sushi sets available for lunch, and you get 10 rolls of sushi and miso soup for just 730 yen (incl. tax)! You’ll definitely love the savings!

4. Hamazushi Kyodo Branch

Hamazushi Kyodo Branch is a spot where you can savor delicious sushi in Kyodo, a little-known area with many hidden famous spots. Here, you can eat fresh sushi for as low as 90 yen a piece on weekdays. You can definitely get your fill of sushi without having to worry about your budget!

While there are many classic items on the menu, another major draw of the Kyodo Branch is the strange toppings and long list of side dishes. There are also some somewhat luxurious meat dishes such as roast beef and duck.

5. Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Branch

Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Branch is located in a prime spot just a few minutes away from Shibuya Station. While it is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the sushi plates do not rotate around the restaurant, but are paraded in a straight moving conveyor belt instead.

This restaurant is famous among tourists and foreigners thanks to its excellent location and touch panel ordering system, which can provide language support in ive languages. The sushi items on the menu are mainly priced at 100 yen, so you won’t have to worry about the cost. This place is highly recommended if you can’t decide on where you should eat in Shibuya!

There Are Plenty of Delicious Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo!

You'll surely be surprised at the wide availability of conveyor belt sushi restaurants in Tokyo that offer delicious sushi at truly reasonable prices. There are also a growing number of shops that are now able to accommodate foreign tourists with menus in different languages. Feel free to use this article as your guide to finding some delicious and affordable sushi in Tokyo!

Title Image: Brostock / Shutterstock

 

 

Translated and republished with permission from: Relux Magazine

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