Restaurant
Narisawa
Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa's acclaimed Aoyama restaurant, serving a seasonal tasting menu built around Japanese ingredients, forests and the farming landscape.
Kyubey Ginza
A long-established Ginza sushi house serving Edomae-style nigiri at the counter, part of a family business that has been running for around 90 years.
At a glance
- Type
- Edomae sushi
- Area
- Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Opening
- Open 5 days a week (closed Monday, Sunday) · 11:30–22:00
- Official site
- kyubey.jp
Good to know
- Counter seating
- Online reservation form
Why we recommend it
Kyubey is one of the classic sushi restaurants of Ginza and a good introduction to Edomae sushi, the Tokyo style in which fish is aged, cured, marinated or simmered before it meets lightly seasoned rice. The family business marks more than 90 years since it was established and is now approaching its centenary. As well as the Ginza main restaurant, it runs counters in several Tokyo hotels, but the Ginza building is the original and the most atmospheric.
The main restaurant and its annex spread over several floors, which makes the experience feel traditional yet less intimidating than some tiny, hard-to-book counters. There are counters with chairs on several levels, counters with sunken kotatsu-style seating, a table room on the fourth floor, and a small gallery of ceramics by the artist and gourmet Rosanjin, whose work is closely associated with the restaurant. Sit at a counter to watch the chefs shape each piece and to receive it the moment it is ready.
The menu is built around set courses. At lunch the nigiri courses start with ten pieces and rise through larger sets to sushi kaiseki, while dinner focuses on the sixteen-piece nigiri course and the kaiseki menus, which add cooked dishes between the sushi. A 10 per cent service charge is added at dinner. Lunch is served from 11:30 to 14:00 and dinner from 17:00 to 22:00, and the restaurant is closed on Sundays, Mondays and over the New Year holidays.
Kyubey suits first-timers to high-end sushi, couples and business diners, and lunch is the more affordable way to experience it. Reservations can be made by phone, through a hotel concierge or through the booking sites linked from the official website, and booking is wise for dinner. A cancellation fee applies to same-day cancellations. Let the chef know of anything you do not eat, and eat each piece promptly.
The restaurant is in the 8-chome area of Ginza, towards Shimbashi, about five minutes' walk from Shimbashi Station and a little further from Ginza Station. Ginza's department stores and the Kabuki-za theatre are within walking distance, and Hama-rikyu Gardens is a short walk south-east.
Kyubey Ginza FAQs
Can I reserve?
Yes, by phone, through a hotel concierge or through the booking sites linked from the official Kyubey website.
Where is the main store?
8-7-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku, a short walk from Shimbashi and Ginza stations.
What are the opening hours?
Lunch 11:30-14:00 and dinner 17:00-22:00.
Which days is it closed?
Sundays, Mondays and the year-end and New Year holidays.
Is lunch cheaper than dinner?
Yes, lunch offers smaller nigiri courses that are the most affordable way to try it.
Is there a service charge?
Yes, 10 per cent is added at dinner.
Where should I sit?
At a counter, to watch the chefs and receive each piece as soon as it is made.
Is there a cancellation fee?
Yes, same-day cancellations are charged per person.