The Authentic Sushi Restaurant Closest to the Sky

Most Japanese cities’ airports usually have several sushi restaurants. I love eating sushi at the airport because the restaurants there gather the finest ingredients, flown in from all over Japan, to offer delicious sushi to foodies from all over the world. I’d say it’s a special experience to taste sushi at an airport sushi restaurant.

During this year’s Golden Week, I had the chance to board a flight from Itami Airport in Osaka and discovered a lovely sushi restaurant located so “close to the sky”.  Let me share my experience with you.

Why is it the closest Sushi restaurant to the sky?

Look! The sushi restaurant is right next to the boarding gate.

The sushi restaurant I am introducing here is located right next to the boarding gate. Therefore, this sushi restaurant can only be accessed by those who have passed the security checkpoint and are about to board their flight.So if you have the opportunity to use Itami Airport, please make a note of the following information.

Just past the security checkpoint in the North Terminal.

Once you pass through the security checkpoint at JAL Terminal of Itami Airport, you will find souvenir shops lined up next to a food court, and beyond that, there are boarding gates. Next to that boarding gate is “Ariso-Zushi(ありそ鮨)”.

Here are the links of shop information and a floor map

▼Shop Information
https://www.osaka-airport.co.jp/en/shop-and-dine/dine/arisozushi.html

▼Floor Map of Itami Airport
https://www.osaka-airport.co.jp/en/map/2f/#293

This is Ariso-Zushi.
There are counter seats and booth seats at the back. You can see airplanes outside the window.

ANA fliers can also come to this area through this passage. Even though I am an ANA flier , I took the opportunity to visit Ariso Sushi and enjoy their delicious Edomae sushi during my ample waiting time at the airport.

Itami Airport is connected by this corridor, with the North Terminal housing JAL’s boarding gates and the South Terminal housing ANA’s boarding gates. The view from here is also breathtaking.

Authentic Edomae Sushi at Reasonable Prices

Ariso-zushi has its origins in a traditional Japanese ryokan (inn) located in Fukui Prefecture, which was once well-known throughout Japan for its seasonal cuisine and exceptional hospitality. They offer authentic Edomae-style sushi.

When seated at the counter, you can have a clear view of the showcase displaying various sushi toppings and observe the sushi chefs skillfully crafting each piece.

Notably, all of the sushi ingredients are wild seafood(天然物) .A variety of fresh seafood is transported by air from Toyosu Market and the Hokuriku region, known for its rich abundance of seafood, to be used as sushi toppings.

The sushi chef skillfully and swiftly prepares the sushi right in front of you.

The freshly sourced ingredients are skillfully prepared in front of customers by the sushi chefs. To our delight, they offer their sushi at a very reasonable price.

You can choose from four different courses for 1,580 yen. On this day, I chose the 4-piece set.

Special attention is given to the sushi rice

Sushi experts say that 60% of the flavor of sushi comes from the “shari,” which means sushi rice. That’s because the taste of the finished product is greatly influenced by the quality of the rice used. At Ariso-zushi, they shape the sushi rice quickly into small portions, resulting in a gentle texture that melts in your mouth. They even cook rice up to 13 times a day to maintain its freshness and quality.

It is a skill of the sushi chef to tightly pack the rice grains together, trapping air in between.

Easy ordering with touch panel system

At this restaurant, you can order your sushi using a touch panel, and they even have an English option available. So, if you don’t speak Japanese, it’s no problem at all. You can relax and enjoy your sushi at your own pace while watching airplanes take off from the window.

You can switch from Japanese to English.
The menu is easy to understand even if you don’t know the names of the fish because it has pictures.

Certainly, if you wish, you can also enjoy conversations with the sushi chefs, if you want to communicate with them. The restaurant offers a variety of seating options, including both counter seats and table seats. This means that families with children can enjoy their meal comfortably at a table.

Ariso-zushi also has locations at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 and Tokyo Station. If you have the opportunity to use Haneda Airport International Terminal or Tokyo Station, it might be worth stopping by.

https://www.arisozushi.com/shop/

Popular Sushi Restaurants at Other Airports

You can also find sushi restaurants at other airports. Here are some options to consider.

▼Matakoi-ya(又こい家 )at Haneda airport
https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/shop_and_dine/detail/tenant_00030.html

Stand-up sushi restaurant located in the departure gate lounge area in Haneda Airport,Tokyo. As it is a standing-style eatery, you can enjoy authentic sushi at a reasonable price.

▼Kantaro 函太郎 at Chitose airport
http://en.kantaro-hakodate.com/

A popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant from Hakodate has opened a branch at Chitose Airport. You can enjoy sushi made with fresh ingredients from Hokkaido in a conveyor belt sushi style. However, this sushi restaurant is always popular and there’s always a long line, so it’s recommended you only eat there if you have plenty of time.

Conclusion

I also ordered additional servings of “kohada” (gizzard shad). You can also place individual orders for each piece.

Sushi is often considered the representative dish of Japanese cuisine. The sushi style featured in this article is called “Edomae-zushi.” For more information on Edomae-zushi, please see the following page.

And in Japan, there are various types of sushi that are passed down from generation to generation in each region, such as chirashi-zushi, oshizushi, and kaiten-zushi. You can buy these types of sushi at souvenir shops in airports and train stations, so be sure to give them a try!

“Kakinoha-zushi” is a traditional Japanese dish where bite-sized vinegar rice is combined with slices of mackerel, salmon, and other toppings, wrapped in persimmon leaves, and pressed together. It is a specialty of Nara and Wakayama prefectures and is often sold as a souvenir at airports in the Kansai region, such as Itami Airport.

It is truly a wonderful experience to savor authentic Edomae-style sushi while observing planes taking off and landing. If you ever have the chance, I highly recommend trying sushi at a Japanese airport. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience authentic Japanese sushi during your travels.

I finished the day with a Japanese omelette. Sweet Japanese omelets can be enjoyed as a dessert alternative.
In Edomae-style sushi, Japanese rolled omelette is also served in a style called ‘kurakake(鞍掛)’.

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