"Yoji Oya's seven-seat Kagurazaka counter, a one-star bargain built on four-hour steamed abalone — book it to impress a visiting client."
Yoji Oya was born in Chicago in 1983 and grew up across Thailand, Los Angeles and Japan before training at three-Michelin-star Sushi Yoshitake. In 2023 he came back to Kagurazaka, the neighbourhood where he first apprenticed, and opened his own counter on the third floor of a quiet backstreet building, the door marked with his wife's calligraphy. Sushi Oya holds one Michelin star. The room is seven seats of 150-year-old Nara cypress; the signature is an abalone steamed four to six hours. Dinner runs about ¥30,000 to ¥40,000.
The Kitchen
Oya cooks classic Edomae with a precision learned at the top. After university and a Shinjuku counter run by a fisherman, he was recruited by Masahiro Yoshitake, helmed Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong for four years and then the Ginza flagship for four more before opening his own room. The signature steamed abalone takes four to six hours, cooked in water, sake and its own juices and finished with a liver sauce that gives it depth. His tuna comes from Yunoka at Toyosu, served as a trio — lean akami, then chutoro, then buttery otoro — chosen for bold flavour because, as he says, his rice is strong. The rice itself is a Hachidaime Gihey blend cooked in a hagama pot and seasoned with red or rice vinegar depending on the piece, the vinegar re-mixed through the evening to keep it sharp. Four brushes wait on the counter: nikiri, a darker soy glaze, tsume, and a birch-sap salt-water blend for delicate toppings like the sumiika squid. The kohada is aged three to four days, layered over rice with a sliver of shrimp beneath. Oya hosts in fluent English, a rarity at this level.
The Room
The counter is the room: seven seats cut from a single 150-year-old slab of Nara cypress, with a small rock garden behind it and a separate six-seat private counter for groups. Antique family pieces line the space, including an old ice box built into the counter and lacquer boxes for the rice. Sound is hushed and focused on the chef's hands; conversation stays easy at a near-whisper. Lighting is warm and low over the cypress. There is no dress code as such, but smart attire suits the room. Two seatings run nightly, at 6:00 and 8:30.
Best for Impressing a Client in Tokyo
Book Sushi Oya to host a visiting client because it solves the problem most top counters create. Oya welcomes guests in fluent English and explains each piece, so a non-Japanese-speaking guest is included rather than lost. The seven-seat room is intimate enough to talk business quietly between courses, and the bill lands well below Tokyo's marquee counters while drawing on the same Yoshitake lineage, which reads as taste rather than spend. Take the two seats nearest the chef, let Oya pace the omakase, and pair with sake. It is the confident, considerate choice for a guest who has eaten everywhere.
Not for
Not for a large group or a long, chatty dinner. There are only seven counter seats, two fixed seatings and a single omakase; choose an izakaya if you want flexibility, sharing plates or a late, loose night.
Frequently Asked
Is Sushi Oya worth it?
Yes, especially for a first serious omakase in Tokyo. Chef Yoji Oya trained at three-Michelin-star Sushi Yoshitake and Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong before opening his own one-star counter in Kagurazaka in 2023. The Edomae technique is exacting, the seven-seat room is calm, and Oya hosts in fluent English, which removes the barrier that trips up many visitors. For the quality, it is one of the better-value one-star counters in the city.
How much does Sushi Oya cost?
The dinner omakase runs roughly ¥30,000 to ¥40,000 a head before drinks, with a service charge added. That buys a few seasonal appetizers and around a dozen pieces of nigiri progressing from light to bold. Sake and beverage pairings add to the total. It sits below Tokyo's most expensive counters while drawing on the same Yoshitake lineage. See our Tokyo dining guide for the wider range.
What should I order at Sushi Oya?
There is no à la carte — you take the omakase. Watch for the signature steamed abalone, cooked four to six hours in water, sake and its own juices and finished with a liver sauce, and the tuna trio of akami, chutoro and otoro sourced from Yunoka at Toyosu. The sumiika squid, brushed with a birch-sap salt-water blend, and the three-to-four-day-aged kohada are the other pieces to remember. Pair with sake and let Oya guide it.
How hard is it to book Sushi Oya?
Hard, because there are only seven counter seats and two seatings a night. Sushi Oya takes bookings through online platforms such as Omakase.in and via hotel concierges, with tables opening about a month ahead and going quickly. A six-seat private room helps small groups. Because Oya speaks English and welcomes overseas guests, it is one of the easier top counters for visitors to secure without a Japanese-speaking intermediary.
Is Sushi Oya good for solo dining or a visiting client?
Yes to both. The seven-seat counter is built for the kind of attention a solo diner wants, and Oya's fluent English makes it a confident choice when you are hosting a visiting client who does not speak Japanese. The progression is easy to follow, the room is quiet enough to talk, and the bill stays sane for a one-star. See our guide to the best restaurants to impress clients.