How to Eat Sushi in Japan

Types of Sushi Restaurants

Kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt): Most accessible. ¥100–500 per plate. Great for trying many things.
Standing sushi bars: Counter-only, order from the chef. Intimate, often excellent. ¥2,000–4,000.
Sit-down restaurants: Seated, menu or chef’s recommendations. ¥3,000–8,000 for a full lunch.
Omakase: Chef’s choice tasting menu. ¥10,000–100,000+. The pinnacle — book months ahead.

Sushi Etiquette

• Hands or chopsticks — both are correct for nigiri. Hands are actually more traditional.
• Soy sauce on the fish, not the rice — dip gently, fish side down.
• Don’t mix wasabi into soy sauce — at good restaurants, the chef applies the right amount. Trust them.
• Eat each piece in one bite — nigiri is designed for this.
• Ginger is a palate cleanser, not a topping — eat between different fish.

What to Order

Start with: tuna (maguro), salmon (sake), yellowtail (hamachi), scallop (hotate). Adventurous: sea urchin (uni), salmon roe (ikura), fatty tuna (o-toro).