14 Best Sushi Restaurants in Shibuya

Wondering where to find the best sushi in Shibuya? With famous landmarks like the iconic Scramble Crossing, the Hachiko Statue and the iconic Shibuya 109 sign, Shibuya immediately springs to mind when visitors think of Tokyo.

However, while districts like Ginza, Omotesando and Akasaka are typically more closely associated with high-end sushi, Shibuya also plays host to its own fair share of fantastic sushi restaurants. Though most of them are traditional Edomae sushi restaurants with omakase-style menus, each has its own distinctive trait that sets it apart.

So what makes each of them worth a visit? Read on to find out!

Every sushi restaurants in Shibuya on this list is omakase, or at least has an omakase option. Omakase sushi is a term that’s thrown around a lot. Meaning “chef’s choice,” an omakase course typically forgoes a fixed menu in favor of leaving the sushi served up to the chef behind the counter. All you have to do is eat what’s put in front of you, usually one course at a time.

The chef typically determines the items served based on what is freshest that day. Maybe they’ve secured an especially fatty cut of hon-maguro — bluefin tuna — or a whole batch of purple and green sea urchin, fresh from a port in Tohoku.

Of course, chefs will typically have their signature dishes as part of the menu. Many of them will also have staples from the Edomae school of sushi, such as vinegared gizzard shad (kohada) or maguro-zuke (marinated tuna). But for the most part, guests won’t know what you’re being served until it’s placed in front of them. That’s one of the best parts of the experience!

What do you think? Are you an omakase person, or would you rather customize your own sushi experience? There’s only one way to find out.

For a more casual, eat-and-go experience, consider these 9 standing sushi bars in Shibuya. If you are in Shinjuku, check out the best sushi in Shinjuku.

Pro tip: It’s best to avoid wearing aftershave or perfume when you’re planning to visit a sushi restaurant!

Appropriately, Sushi Hajime — pronounced like the Japanese word for “begin,” but written with the character for “one” — is the first on this list. General manager and head chef Takahoshi Hiroshi gets his ingredients directly from personal suppliers in Toyosu Market, ensuring that nothing but the best is served to the customer.

But it’s the rice that really stands out at Sushi Hajime (sometimes known as Namikibashi Sushi Hajime). Chef Takahoshi uses only Koshihikari rice from Aizu, a sweet and sticky rice that is said to be among the best cultivated varieties in Japan. He sculpts it into shari that’s so expertly made, guests say each individual grain can still be felt beneath the tongue. 

Chef Takahoshi is first in many guests’ hearts as well for a different reason entirely; his good looks and charming demeanor are said to bring back just as many repeat customers as his immaculately crafted sushi and top-quality ingredients.

Omakase sushi and affordable are words not often associated with each other, but Shibuya Sushi Lab achieves the impossible by putting those two things together. 

That’s not to say the quality is lacking in any way either. A veteran of more than 25 years in the business, head chef Tahara Ryuichi relies on the Tsumoto style of preparing his fish — a style of bloodletting that keeps the fish fresh for as long as possible, while still drawing out the fish’s natural umami. Depending on the fish, Chef Tahara ages each piece for up to 40 days. 

It’s also easy to get to, situated right outside the Miyamasuzaka Exit of Shibuya Station, and impossible to miss. It’s no wonder that Shibuya Sushi Lab is so popular.

Breathing modern air into the ancient world of sushi, Sushi Ebisu’s flagship store subverts the typical Edomae-style omakase to take on a bolder approach, incorporating an abundance of ikura (salmon roe) and creative sushi dishes that use domestic fish. The chefs still use authentic red "akazu" vinegar (just like the sushi masters in omakase venues), but offering tilts towards unconventional. 

A signature dish here is the “millefeuille”—horse meat tartare nestled between sushi rice, crowned with uni and salmon roe. Another standout is the crab and shrimp duo: delicate crab meat stuffed inside a crab shell, topped with quail egg yolk and more salmon roe. And then there's the ikura cocktail, served in a sleek glass, with glossy roe resting atop a bed of sushi rice.

The menu still offers classics with a contemporary twist, such as tender fatty tuna, amberjack and truffle-topped scallops. Table seating and a high-energy ambiance means this is the perfect venue for group dining.

Ogouchi Toshiki, known as “Gocchi,” is a rising star in the sushi world with a resume rivaling seasoned masters. Starting at 20, he trained at the Michelin-starred Sushi Yuu before venturing into various cuisines and opening his own 10-seat counter in Shibuya in October 2024.

Gocchi specializes in Edomae sushi, crafted with extraordinary precision and originality. His meticulous approach to shari (sushi rice) includes using Fukushima’s Koshihikari grains cooked in a traditional Hagama pot. He adjusts the water-to-rice ratio based on season and temperature, ensuring consistently plump rice. His original red vinegar blend, aged over 10 years from domestic sake lees, adds a signature depth of flavor.

Each nigiri piece is a carefully composed narrative, balancing textures, temperatures, and flavors. Whether it’s horse mackerel, swordtip squid, or marinated tuna, every bite is a nuanced burst of taste, elevated with garnishes and wasabi.

Unlike the stereotypical aloof sushi chef, Gocchi’s warm and approachable demeanor creates an inviting atmosphere. To conclude his omakase experience, he surprises diners with a comforting bowl of ramen, ensuring no one leaves unsatisfied. Gocchi’s artistry and charm redefine modern sushi dining, blending tradition with an innovative and welcoming twist.

Only six guests can witness the chef's skill at a time at this hidden Ebisu gem. Both a certified sommelier and sushi master, the chef curates sushi course paired with best-fitting wine.

Each nigiri is delicately lacquered with soy and rests atop a morsel of warm, loosely packed Koshihikari rice from Niigata Prefecture, with shari seasoned only with rice vinegar—no sugar. The experience might begin with red sea bream, thickly sliced and prepared with finesse, followed by the luscious, marbled chutoro (medium fatty tuna).

Guests opting for the drink pairing will enjoy wines that perfectly match each dish: the seasonal starter, hassun, is paired with champagne; bonito sashimi with Beaujolais Gamay; and horse mackerel sushi with the vibrant notes of Portugal’s Albarino.

Is it a sushi restaurant? Is it a wine bar? This contemporary eatery set in trendy Omotesando is both and more, proving that drinks are as important to the mix as the food.

At first glance, the well-lit dining space looks chic enough for a casual dinner with your partner or friends, but it’s on the radar among more serious epicureans thanks to its creative iterations of sushi. On the menu, they’ll find scallop sushi seasoned with olive oil and black pepper crowned with shrimp and salmon roe, unique mascarpone and sake lees roll, or the monkfish liver sushi wrapped in green chili miso. 

As a wine bar, the selection is just as thoughtful, curated to complement the bold flavor of the sushi. Light Spanish red wine and bold Moldovan white wine, for example, pair beautifully with vinegared rice and soy sauce, while natural wines complement sushi’s more delicate flavors.

The sake list, curated by a certified SAKE Diploma, is equally compelling.

Ebisu Sushi Hatsume is a rising gem in Ebisu, on a mission to carve out its own niche. The sleek, L-shaped timber counter sets the stage for a fantastic omakase course helmed by a chef with experience at a former two-star Michelin restaurant.

While the menu respects the foundation of Japanese cuisine, it dares to break the mold with an original approach. Take the rice, for instance, which still uses red vinegar but gets infused sherry vinegar for an aromatic complexity.

The menu contains thrilling creations, such as the signature tuna head and sea urchin hotdog: vibrant Ogawa sea urchin crowns succulent tuna, nestled between crisp Maruyama “Kontobi” seaweed. Another standout is the perfectly crisped mozzarella cheese topped with dried mullet roe, alongside more traditional dishes like uzaku — vinegared broiled eel with cucumber. Most ingredients are sourced from Toyosu Market, the world’s largest fish market.

Diners can opt for the sushi omakase with wine pairing, where methodically shaped nigiri and tender seafood are elevated to new heights, their flavors multiplied by selected wines.

It’s true that Shibuya is haunted, but not in the way that you might expect. Here at Ajuta, just slightly northwest of the Scramble Crossing, Chef Hiroki Ajuta uses Hatsushimo rice in his shari, a cultivated variety grown exclusively in fields in Gifu Prefecture, and so rare that it’s called a “phantom rice.” 

Such a precious and rare rice is given the care it deserves. Chef Ajuta seasons the rice with four types of vinegar and two types of salt, all of which are sourced from various places all around the world. Fine ingredients from Toyosu Market are then carefully laid atop it with great skill.

Conger eel, or anago, is one of the staples of the Edomae sushi tradition, and is one of the standards by which a restaurant is judged. So it speaks volumes that Chef Ajuta’s conger eel nigiri is said to be one of the best in Tokyo — he forgoes the sweet sauce reduction used by most chefs in favor of just using salt. 

Formerly known as Ebisu Hoshi, Sushi Tenkawa is just east of Ebisu Station. 

Sushi Tenkawa is selective not just about its seafood, but also other things like vegetables, which the chef sources from Kyoto. 

But interestingly, while most omakase sushi restaurants prefer to serve their tuna raw or vinegared, the flame-grilled tuna is what every guest looks forward to at Sushi Tenkawa. Over an open flame, it’s a spectacular sight, and an even better taste. 

Located on Shibuya’s bustling Dogenzaka Street, right outside JR Shibuya Station, Shibuya Sushiki is especially popular with foreign visitors. The former manager of two sushi restaurants in Australia, Chef Marui Takumi speaks fluent English — with a charming Aussie accent — and can often be heard bantering easily with visitors. 

Similarly, his sushi isn’t afraid to take influences from his travels overseas. Chef Takumi has all the Edomae favorites at the ready, and can whip them up with his eyes closed. But his most talked-about dishes are those that incorporate unorthodox ingredients, like Western vegetables. 

Whisky lovers shouldn’t miss out on his extensive whisky selection either. While most restaurants stick to the tried and tested combination of sushi and sake, and more recently sushi and wine, Chef Takumi has curated a selection of smoky single malts and blends alike that are sure to satisfy even the most discerning connoisseur. 

“Jukusei” in Japanese means “to age,” and the aging technique here at this Ebisu restaurant is immaculate. The restaurant’s specialties are its greater amberjack (kanpachi) and medium-fatty tuna (chutoro), both of which are aged for two and three weeks respectively to maximize the umami of each fish. 

But something truly distinctive about Jukusei Sushi Wagokoro is its interior. Many sushi restaurants are beautiful, but very few of them are beautiful like this: the lighting is especially dramatic, calling to mind a chiaroscuro painting. 

The space is decorated with a tasteful mix of traditional and contemporary decorations alike, with ikebana flower arrangements placed alongside paintings by famous names in the modern Japanese art scene.

But the real star of the show is the sushi, of course. The official site proudly shows off an extensive gallery of Wagokoro’s beautiful nigiri, each one breathtaking in its own way. The aged spear squid (yari-ika) takes a particularly high amount of skill to get right, painstakingly sliced crosswise dozens of times to create a feathering effect.

Meaning “fifty-six steps” in Japanese, Sushi Gotoroppo’s name is well deserved. In a building just north of Ebisu Station, this sushi restaurant sits at the top of its building, on the fifth floor. Appropriately for a building so high up, the restaurant is beautifully decorated with motifs of the moon, like a perpetual tsukimi — moon-viewing — festival.

But the climb is well worth it. Some of the finest sushi not just in Shibuya Ward, but in the whole of Japan, can be found on the counter of this restaurant. Its head chef has worked in sushi restaurants all over the nation for almost 30 years, and can be seen every morning at Toyosu Market, handpicking his own fish. 

Interestingly for a sushi restaurant, Sushi Gotoroppo’s course menus feature an all-you-can-eat dessert service — a sweet finish to the meal. From daifuku (mochi filled with red bean paste) to warabi-mochi (soft jelly sprinkled with soybean flour), the menu changes every day. It’s an omakase experience not just for sushi, but for desserts as well. 

Located in the Oku-Shibuya part of Shibuya, Sushi Kourin is a bit of a walk from the station; a short meander northwest of the station towards Shibuya Parco and the Bunkamura performing arts center. You’ll know you’re getting close when you see the long line of eager visitors snaking down a basement staircase. 

Unlike most of the restaurants on this list, Sushi Kourin isn’t strictly omakase. Of course, an omakase course option is available at his restaurant, but Chef Nitta Shinji has also been known to be so accommodating that he’ll even serve guests who just want a single piece of sushi. Over 40 menu options are available to choose from, meticulously handwritten on a blackboard every day.

Fitting for Oku-Shibuya, the atmosphere is casual, but make sure to get there early or make a reservation: there are only 12 seats at the counter, and every one of them is guaranteed to have someone in it, especially since the restaurant’s receiving of a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2023. 

Sushi Yuki in Hiroo, Tokyo, is a Michelin-featured restaurant helmed by third-generation sushi master, Hayashinouchi Yuki. Known for its intimate setting with just eight counter seats, the restaurant serves a refined omakase experience. Traditional Edomae techniques shine through, with perfectly balanced nigiri and appetizers like boiled flathead with ponzu and pickled Spanish mackerel.

Sourcing premium ingredients from trusted Toyosu Market wholesalers, Sushi Yuki elevates classic sushi through masterful execution. The restaurant’s attention to detail and authentic flavors make it a must-visit for sushi aficionados. 

Ready to savor more sushi in Tokyo? Join some of the best sushi-making classes in the city, learn more about the types of fish served as sushi, or learn about the price tag associated with omakase sushi.

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