"Takashi Saito's blessed protégé, ten seats in Motoazabu and red-vinegar Edomae of the first rank — book it to impress a client."
When Shunji Hashiba opened his own counter in 2020, the signs for Sushi Saito and Sushi Shunji hung side by side: his was the first noren-wake, the apprentice's room blessed by three-Michelin-star Takashi Saito to carry the master's name and recipes. Hashiba had been Saito's second chef. In 2023 he moved Sushi Shunji to a quiet corner of Motoazabu, ten seats around a wooden counter. The opening bowl of steamed sushi tells you the kitchen is serious; the red-vinegar Edomae that follows confirms it. The omakase runs about ¥40,000 to ¥55,000.
The Kitchen
Hashiba grew up on Kozushima, a volcanic island four hours by ferry from Tokyo, filleting fish his grandmother taught him to clean. He trained at Sushi Kanesaka, met Takashi Saito, and rose to second chef at Sushi Saito before opening his own room with Saito's blessing. The omakase alternates rich and light: a warm bowl of steamed sushi to open — white tilefish in a thickened sauce over vinegared rice with asparagus and ginger — then a long run of nigiri. The rice is Hokkaido Yumepirika, seasoned with Yokoi's Kohaku red vinegar and shaped with as few movements as possible so air stays in the grain. The tuna comes through Yamayuki at Toyosu, the chutoro and otoro cut from a 120-kilo fish off Funka Bay in Hokkaido. The gizzard shad is marinated about fifteen minutes in salt and red vinegar in the old Edo style; a Botan shrimp dish, stir-fried in dashi and sesame oil, was borrowed from a meal at Txispa in Spain. His wife Ayako, a trained sommelier, runs the sake pairing, inviting guests to choose a bowl from a tray of artist-made pieces to keep through the night.
The Room
The room is ten seats around a counter designed by Toru Kijima, who shaped the interiors of Matsukawa and Kaiseki Komuro. The detail runs deep: a cutting board of 300-year-old Kiso cypress once used to build Nagoya Castle, serving trays by the ceramicist Shiro Tsujimura, chopsticks of Japanese cedar. Sound is hushed and unhurried, the focus on the chef's hands. Lighting is warm and low over the wood. There is no formal dress code, though smart attire matches the room. A single seating gathers ten guests; the restaurant closes Sundays.
Best for Impressing a Client in Tokyo
Book Sushi Shunji to impress a client because the pedigree carries the evening on its own. Anyone who knows Tokyo sushi recognises the Sushi Saito lineage instantly, so the noren-wake story does the bragging without you having to. The ten-seat counter is quiet enough to talk between courses, and the craftsmanship — the Kiso-cypress board, the red-vinegar rice, the Funka Bay tuna — reads as taste rather than expense-account excess. Reserve the counter through a concierge, brief them on dietary needs, take the sake pairing, and let Hashiba set the pace. A guest who has eaten everywhere will notice the difference here.
Not for
Not for a spontaneous night or a group larger than the counter. With ten seats, a single nightly seating and concierge-only booking, Sushi Shunji rewards planning; choose a walk-in sushiya if you want flexibility tonight.
Frequently Asked
Is Sushi Shunji worth it?
Yes, if you want one of Tokyo's most pedigreed young sushi counters. Shunji Hashiba was the second chef at three-Michelin-star Sushi Saito and opened Sushi Shunji in 2020 as Saito's first noren-wake, meaning he carries the master's techniques and blessing. The red-vinegar Edomae is exacting, the ten-seat Motoazabu room is hushed, and the sake pairing is genuinely good. It is expensive and hard to book, but the cooking earns it.
How much does Sushi Shunji cost?
The omakase runs roughly ¥40,000 to ¥55,000 a head before drinks, depending on the season and the catch. That covers a small run of warm dishes and a long sequence of nigiri, finishing with a bowl of steamed sushi. A sake pairing led by the chef's wife adds to the bill. Booking-platform fees can push the total higher. See our Tokyo dining guide for the wider range.
What should I order at Sushi Shunji?
It is omakase only. Look for the opening bowl of steamed sushi — white tilefish in a thick sauce over vinegared rice with asparagus and ginger — and the chutoro and otoro cut from Funka Bay tuna sourced through Yamayuki at Toyosu. The Edo-style gizzard shad and the dashi-and-sesame Botan shrimp are the other pieces to watch. Pick a sake bowl from Ayako's tray and let the pairing run alongside.
How hard is it to book Sushi Shunji?
Very hard. There are only ten seats, the kitchen runs lunch and two dinner seatings, and demand is heavy because of the Saito lineage. Reservations generally go through a hotel concierge or a reservation platform such as TableAll rather than a public phone line. Book several weeks out, confirm the cancellation terms, and treat a confirmed seat as the win. Closed Sundays.
Is Sushi Shunji good for impressing a client?
Yes. The Sushi Saito pedigree is immediately legible to anyone who knows Tokyo sushi, the ten-seat room is calm enough for a quiet conversation, and the craftsmanship signals serious intent without a word of explanation. Book the counter, brief the concierge on any dietary needs, and let the chef set the pace. See our guide to the best restaurants to impress clients.