Located about 5-minute on foot from Ebisu Station, "Sushi Takehan Wakatsuki" started in 1995 as "Sushi Takehan" until the current owner, Chef Takeshi Wakatsuki took the reins in 2012 and settled into a new location in 2017. Chef Wakatsuki got his start at age 16 when he began training with sushi and traditional Japanese cuisine. At 26 he sought an apprenticeship with a more experienced chef, which sharpened his focus on becoming an expert sushi chef.
Chef Wakatsuki uses his culinary skills to showcase Edomae-sushi, otherwise known as "Tokyo-style sushi." His menu prioritizes a sense of the seasons so that each bite of sushi inspires a feeling of excitement. For ingredients, he brings in carefully selected seafood from Toyosu Fish Market, and he also ships items indirectly from Shimane, which is where he originally hails from.
The omakase menu always begins with a selection of the best of the season. The first half of the meal begins with seasonal appetizers, followed by nigiri, a dish that is based on the Edo-mae style of cooking inherited from his predecessor, and is sprinkled with "surprises and excitement. The rice is made with Koshihikari rice Ujisato from Aizu, and the water is also carefully selected, using spring water from the Aizu Urabandai mountain, and cooked at once in a kettle with a shuttlecock.
The restaurant's interior design also reflects Chef Wakatsuki's commitment to "surprise and excitement. The long approach to the restaurant from the second floor of the building is a "stage set up" to arouse the guests' anticipation, and the spacious counter is made of "Tochinoki" wood, which is rare for sushi restaurants. The spacious counter is made of horse chestnut, a rare material used in sushi restaurants. The interior is warm and woody, and has been meticulously prepared for a serious sushi experience.
One of the best parts of "Sushi Takehan Wakatsuki " is the conversation over the counter with Chef Wakatsuki, who says, "Ebisu is a place where people of various ages and jobs gather, so I enjoy getting new stimulation every day while making sushi. We hope that you will enjoy the sushi and the skill and ingenuity of the chefs while sipping on the sake and white wine that have been carefully selected to accompany the sushi.
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*The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
【Access】
A 5-minute walk from Ebisu Station, Exit West(JR Yamanote Line)
A 5-minute walk from Ebisu Station, Exit West(JR Sikyo Line)
A 5-minute walk from Daikanyama Station, Exit East(Tokyu Toyoko Line)