Sushi Benkei Umi Ginza

In the “sushi battleground” of Ginza, where there seems to be a high-end omakase sushi restaurant on every corner, Sushi Benkei Umi Ginza’s reputation alone carries it in two ways. The first is in its chef. The founder of the former Yamami in Roppongi — one of the district’s best-loved omakase sushi restaurants prior to its closure — Chef Yamazaki Masao now heads Sushi Benkei Umi Ginza as the latest achievement in his 50-plus-year career, after spending a few years at the Niigata branch of Sushi Benkei Umi. The other is, of course, Benkei’s own reputation. Arguably Niigata’s most famous sushi restaurant, Benkei uses the fresh catch from off the coast of Sado Island to create course menus that highlight the wild, rugged tastes of Japan’s northeastern seas. The shari rice in the restaurant is also entirely Sado Island’s own Koshihikari, treated only with salt and vinegar — no sugar added, a rarity in modern sushi-making — to bring out the natural umami of the grains. This is married with the immaculate, refined technique of Chef Yamazaki. Under his direction, Sushi Benkei Umi Ginza strikes that beautiful balance of tradition and innovation. While Chef Yamazaki’s traditional Edomae technique is without question, most of his signatures are in fact more modern inventions, such as otoro fatty tuna marinated in garlic soy sauce, sea urchin in salted rice malt (koji) or simmered mackerel and gizzard shad (kohada) with a basil garnish. Both these bold signatures and his tried-and-true Edomae nigiri bring two distinct groups of diners to his 10-seat counter: those who want to experience traditional Edomae sushi in omakase form, and those who want to see how a true master puts his own spin on the art form. According to Chef Yamazaki, it’s not uncommon for guests to say that they’ve never had sushi like that in their lives before. A stone’s throw from Higashi-ginza Station, located right by the Kabukiza Theater, in the middle of the bustling Ginza district, Benkei achieves the impossible: bringing the beauty — culinarily, if not visually — of Sado Island to Tokyo, and all at a remarkably affordable price. Watch the master chef at work with a glass of Niigata’s or Sado Island’s finest sake in hand. How better to end a day of sightseeing around the glitz and glamor of Ginza, or after a performance at the Theatre?