Kura Sushi is a famous conveyer belt sushi restaurant with over 400 restaurants in Japan. Their sushi is extremely affordable, with many menu items that are just ¥100! Everything is expertly prepared with fresh ingredients and there is a variety of raw and cooked items to satisfy every appetite!
When you first enter Kura Sushi, look for the machine that dispenses the queue number. There is an English language option so no worries if you cannot read Japanese. You’ll be presented with the option for a counter or a booth seat (the booth queue goes by faster), and then a ticket will be printed with the approximate wait time for your table.
When it’s peak time, you can leave the restaurant and come by five minutes before your expected time, but when it’s not so busy, there is plenty of room to wait in the restaurant. The queue numbers are announced in Japanese, but they are also shown on a large monitor, so just keep an eye out for that. Once your number is called you will go into the main room and a large monitor will flash the row you are supposed to go down for your table. Everything is automated and self service.
You can order off the tablets for freshly made sushi (my preferred method), or you can pick a plate off the ever revolving conveyor belt. The location I went to had a Gudetama theme so a lot of the dishes had cute figurines on them!
One of the best parts about Kura Sushi (besides their convenience and affordability!) is their gachapon (capsule toy game) at every table. For every five plates you slide down the chute, you can have a chance to win a toy.
Most dishes are priced at ¥100 which is equal to one plate/token. If you order dishes that are ¥200 or more you’ll get more tokens. Just make sure you release the plates from the plastic holder before sliding it down the chute.
This delicious uni sushi was overflowing for only ¥200! The uni was fresh and delicious and the rice to topping ratio was spot on. I indulged in several plates (more plates equals more chances to play the game!)
This was another stand out for me. It was a yuzu salmon nigiri, and the yuzu worked surprisingly well with the salmon. It didn’t overwhelm the fish at all and there was just a light perfume of yuzu permeating the dish. A must get!
I’m a uni addict – so when I saw this fatty tuna topped with uni whizz by me on the conveyor belt, I knew I had to get it. It was as delicious as it looked.
Kura Sushi isn’t serving up Michelin quality sushi, but it is a fun and easy way to indulge in fresh and affordable sushi without breaking the bank. My friend and I got a little addicted to playing the game and spent about ¥5000 for lunch – but it is definitely possible to get a filling and delicious meal for half the price.