Sushimatsu

Quick Facts

What it is

Sushimatsu (すし松), operated by Matsuya Foods Holdings (the beloved creator of Japan's iconic 24-hour beef bowl chain Matsuya), is one of Tokyo's best-kept culinary secrets. While travelers know Matsuya for beef bowls, Sushimatsu operates as an authentic, sit-down Edomae counter sushi bar where licensed sushi chefs hand-mold every single piece of sushi to order. Sourcing fresh fish directly from Tokyo's famous Toyosu Market every morning, Sushimatsu offers single pieces of nigiri starting at an unbelievable ¥70–¥100 per piece. Diners sit at clean wooden counter bars equipped with intuitive multilingual touchscreen tablets, selecting rich Pacific bluefin tuna (Hon-Maguro), seared salmon belly, sea urchin (Uni), and sweet seasonal white fish delivered straight to their personal sushi tray with strictly zero cover charge.

How to order

Dining at Sushimatsu is high-tech, fast, and completely frictionless:

1. Enter and take an open counter seat: Walk inside beneath the clean noren curtain. Staff will direct you to a comfortable counter stool facing the sushi chef.
2. NO Otoshi cover charge: Enjoy honest dining—Sushimatsu charges strictly zero table fee, zero seating charge, and zero cover charge (¥0 Otoshi).
3. Make your hot green tea: Spoon powdered green tea into the ceramic cup at your seat, push against the tabletop hot water tap, and stir.
4. Switch the tablet to English: Pick up the touchscreen tablet docked in front of you and tap "English" at the top corner.
5. Order Piece-by-Piece or by Value Set:
   • Piece-by-Piece (1貫から注文可能): Order exactly what you want, 1 piece at a time.
     • Hon-Maguro Akami (Bluefin Tuna Lean): ~¥150–¥190.
     • Hon-Maguro Chutoro (Medium-Fatty Tuna): ~¥290–¥350.
     • Seared Salmon with Mayo: ~¥120–¥160.
     • Squid / Egg Tamagoyaki: Starting from just ~¥70–¥90.
     • Sea Urchin (生うに) & Salmon Roe (いくら): Premium delicacies under ~¥390.
   • Value Nigiri Sets (盛合せ - Strongly Recommended for Lunch.): Complete platters featuring 8 to 12 pieces of chef-selected nigiri plus a hot bowl of miso soup for ~¥980–¥1,580.
   • Customize Wasabi: Choose "With Wasabi" (Sabi-iri) or "Without Wasabi" (Sabi-nuki) directly on the tablet screen.
6. Watch the Chef Hand-Mold Your Sushi: The chef in front of you dips his hands into vinegared water, sculpts warm rice, places the freshly sliced fish on top, and lays the finished sushi directly onto the raised counter board or ceramic plate right before your eyes.
7. Dip and savor: Dip the fish side lightly into soy sauce and eat. The rice is body-temperature warm and fluffy—the mark of genuine Edomae craftsmanship.
8. Checkout on the tablet: When finished, tap "Checkout" on the tablet screen. The tablet prints your payment slip or updates the register.
9. Pay at the front register: Bring your bill slip to the register. Pay via cash, credit card, Suica, or smartphone QR codes (PayPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay).

What to order first

Dishes below reflect core brand staples officially featured on the Sushimatsu Official Website:

• Hon-Maguro Bluefin Tuna Platter (本まぐろづくし): A luxurious flight of Toyosu-direct Pacific bluefin tuna: Akami, Chutoro, Otoro, and minced Negitoro roll (~¥880–¥1,180 tax-included).
• Single Piece Nigiri from ¥70 (1貫70円〜にぎり): Inexpensive gems including fresh squid, sweet egg, and seasonal sardine (iwashi) starting under ¥100.
• Toyosu Market Nigiri Lunch Set (豊洲市場直送にぎりランチ): Bountiful midday platter with 10 pieces of premium nigiri, tamagoyaki, and hot clam miso soup (~¥980–¥1,380).
• Seared Salmon Belly with Salt (サーモンハラス炙り塩): Rich, oily salmon belly lightly torched over flame with sea salt (~¥150–¥190).
• Asari Clam Miso Soup (あさりの味噌汁): Steaming bowl of dark savory miso broth filled with sweet tender clams (~¥220–¥280).

Payment & practical info

Prices and details checked: October 2026.

• Pricing & Value: One of the most astonishing price-to-quality ratios in Tokyo; eating 8 to 10 pieces of hand-molded Toyosu sushi with tuna and salmon averages only ¥1,500–¥2,500 per person.
• Cover Charges: Strictly zero cover charge and zero seating fees (¥0 Otoshi).
• Accepted Payment Methods: Accepts Japanese Yen cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, UnionPay), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA), electronic money (iD, QUICPay, Edy), and mobile QR codes (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay).
• Atmosphere: Bright, clean, modern, and respectful. Polished light timber counter bars, quiet background jazz, and polite, skilled sushi chefs.
• Solo-Dining Haven: Designed perfectly for solo travelers seeking authentic counter sushi without the intimidating silence or high prices of Ginza establishments.

Good to know / Common mistakes

• Order 1 piece at a time: In Japan, traditional sushi bars often require ordering 2 pieces of the same fish. Sushimatsu allows you to order single pieces (1貫), allowing you to sample 10 completely different varieties in a single meal.
• Matsuya Foods synergy: Because Sushimatsu belongs to the multibillion-yen Matsuya Foods Group, it has immense wholesale buying power at Toyosu Market, which is why it can serve prime bluefin tuna and sea urchin at half the price of independent bars.
• Dip the fish, not the rice: Follow traditional sushi etiquette—flip the nigiri slightly so you dip only the fish topping into your soy sauce, keeping the warm rice from crumbling into the sauce dish.
• Lunch set value: If you visit between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, order the daily lunch set (Lunch Nigiri)—it is one of Tokyo's most satisfying worker lunches.
• Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Japan, so there is no need to leave a tip. Pay the exact bill at the front desk.

Sources

• Sushimatsu Official Website: https://www.matsuyafoods.co.jp/sushimatsu/ (Verified: 2026-10-02)
• Matsuya Foods Holdings Corporate Portal: https://www.matsuyafoods.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-10-02)