I’d happily recommend Hanamaru to anyone looking for good sushi in Tokyo and now that its Ginza branch is open, it’s even better. This is conveyor belt sushi that renders a visit to a Michelin-starred sushi-ya unnecessary for the most part, especially as I could eat almost 12 times at Hanamaru for the cost of a single meal at the loftier restaurants (JPY 2,500 which is around USD 25 left me very full and happy enough to cry). The fish is fresh and Hanamaru serves some Hokkaido specialities that reflects its origins which you may not get at other sushi bars including an amazing fried chicken.

I first encountered Hanamaru at the Kitte Building in the Marunouchi area on the recommendation of my friend Tom but the popularity with the office crowd at lunch time meant lining up for up to one hour to get a seat. This meant having a quick meal was near impossible. So I was really happy to find out from Tom that they opened a second branch in the Tokyu Plaza Ginza (on the 10th floor) where there was little to no queue. Basically the tourists in Ginza haven’t caught on yet, which is great.

Hanamaru has a menu listing out most of its sushi and other dishes available and you can order from this list as some of it may not show up on the conveyor belt. There are also daily specials which they shout out when available. Unfortunately, if you can’t understand Japanese, the experience is diminished. This remains the main drawback. However, I suppose ignorance is bliss as you can’t miss what you haven’t tried.

For more info see Hanamaru’s website.