Komatsu Yasuke Kanazawa: Enjoy Sushi Made by 90-Year-Old Legendary Sushi Master
Approximately 400 years ago, Kanazawa flourished as a castle town and was known as one of Japan's leading cultural cities at the time.
With its proud ancient history, Kanazawa still preserves sites such as Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en, and Higashi Chaya District, making it famous as an area with particularly abundant historical landmarks and traditional streetscapes in Japan.
Additionally, Kanazawa is known nationwide as a gourmet city where you can enjoy cuisine made with fresh seafood from the Japan Sea and local traditional vegetables.
This time, we will introduce in detail the overview, attractions, and store information of Komatsu Yasuke, a particularly popular sushi restaurant among the high-level dining establishments gathered in Kanazawa.
Table of Contents
-For authentic sushi in Kanazawa, Komatsu Yasuke is highly recommended!
-Three attractions of the legendary sushi restaurant Komatsu Yasuke
-Three popular sushi restaurants in Kanazawa alongside Komatsu Yasuke
-Three Must-Visit Kanazawa Restaurants Recommended for Authentic Foodies and Tourists
Kanazawa offers various exquisite gourmet experiences, including fresh seafood
Kanazawa is a gastronomic city where you can enjoy various exquisite gourmet experiences, including a rich variety of seafood caught in the abundant fishing grounds of the Japan Sea.
Fresh seafood is particularly synonymous with Kanazawa gourmet, and you can taste seasonal treasures from the sea such as blackthroat seaperch, sweet shrimp, and snow crab. Since the seafood landed near Kanazawa is highly fresh with minimal fishy smell, even foreigners unaccustomed to raw fish such as sashimi and sushi can enjoy it with confidence.
In addition to seafood, Kanazawa offers diverse gourmet options including local cuisine using traditional vegetables called "Kaga vegetables" and Noto beef steak. You can experience various styles of exquisite cuisine, from Kanazawa's traditional "Kaga Dish" to unique local gourmet specialties.
For authentic sushi in Kanazawa, Komatsu Yasuke is highly recommended!
Source:Tabelog
Komatsu Yasuke is a renowned establishment beloved by food connoisseurs from both the local area and across the nation as a representative high-class sushi restaurant of Kanazawa. The sushi created by the fresh seafood from the Japan Sea and the craftsman's exceptional techniques allows you to experience the essence of Kanazawa's food culture.
In particular, the sushi prepared by Kazuo Morita, one of Japan's finest sushi chefs, is known for its beauty like a work of art and delicate flavors, attracting many customers from across the country seeking his sushi.
While Komatsu Yasuke is a high-class establishment where you can taste sushi made with carefully selected seafood, my favorite aspect is also the warm atmosphere where they provide service while speaking to each individual customer. When you visit Kanazawa, please try to savor the supreme dining experience where taste, appearance, and service are all first-class.
Overview and Access to Komatsu Yasuke
Address: 2-17-21 Hommachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa Chaya Annex 1F
Access: Approximately 4 minutes from Kanazawa Station
Business Hours: 11:00- / 13:00- / 15:00- *Reservation required
Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Phone Number: 076-231-1001
Official Website: None
Three attractions of the legendary sushi restaurant Komatsu Yasuke
Supreme nigiri sushi backed by authentic technique and experience
Source:Tabelog
The nigiri sushi at Komatsu Yasuke is a supreme masterpiece created by the craftsman's techniques and experience cultivated through years of training. In particular, my recommendation point is that you can taste the sushi prepared by the legendary sushi chef Kazuo Morita, who is over 90 years old, while watching his smooth motions up close that appear almost magical with no wasted movements.
The nigiri sushi at this sushi restaurant features rice gripped softly with air and premium toppings that melt together in your mouth, creating an exquisite harmony. With toppings so large they hide the rice, you can enjoy luxurious nigiri sushi where high-quality seafood from the Japan Sea and rice spread throughout your mouth.
With each piece of sushi carefully prepared with skilled techniques, please try tasting directly the delicious flavors of seasonal seafood such as Kanazawa's specialty sweet shrimp and Ootoro (fatty tuna) with its appealing melting fat.
Sushi and à la carte dishes that become even more delicious when enjoyed with alcohol
Source:Tabelog
At Komatsu Yasuke, you can enjoy not only sushi but also pairings with carefully selected alcoholic beverages such as local sake from Ishikawa Prefecture and the restaurant's original Japanese sake. The delicate flavors of fresh seafood pair excellently with refreshing Japanese sake, and by selecting sake that matches the cuisine, the delicious flavors of both are further enhanced.
In particular, Komatsu Yasuke's original Japanese sake has a dry yet fruity taste that allows you to experience the umami of seafood more richly. À la carte dishes other than sushi are also abundant, including sashimi platters and steamed abalone enjoyed with broth, so it's also interesting to try comparing different Japanese sakes paired with the dishes.
Since Japanese sake has different flavors depending on the brand, I also recommend consulting with the sushi chef about sake that matches the day's cuisine.
Masterful knife skills you can enjoy with your eyes
Source:Tabelog
Another of my favorite aspects is that at the counter seats of Komatsu Yasuke, you can enjoy your meal while watching the chef's refined knife skills right before your eyes. The beautiful, efficient motions honed through years of experience further accentuate the taste of the exquisite sushi prepared with high-quality seafood.
When I sat at the counter seat, I found myself captivated by each careful hand movement - the way the knife enters the fish, the hand movements gripping the rice, and the delicate motions of placing the toppings. From the clean kitchen and the chef's refined movements, you can feel the depth of Japanese food culture.
At Komatsu Yasuke, please experience up close not only the taste of the cuisine but also the craftsman's techniques and Japanese food aesthetics.
At Komatsu Yasuke, they provide optimal dishes tailored to your preferences
Another secret to Komatsu Yasuke's popularity is that they provide optimal dishes tailored to each customer's preferences and mood at the time. The flexible and pleasant service - such as serving sushi that pairs with the Japanese sake you order or avoiding ingredients you dislike - is also why they have continued to be loved for many years.
At Komatsu Yasuke, the standard style is to order a nigiri sushi course or a course combining nigiri sushi and à la carte dishes, then add individual sushi orders according to your preferences. Please enjoy communicating with the craftsmen through ordering dishes as well.
If you're going to Komatsu Yasuke, I recommend visiting during times when you can enjoy Kazuo Morita's sushi
Source:Tabelog
If you visit Komatsu Yasuke, my recommendation is to aim for and reserve a time when the owner Kazuo Morita is preparing sushi. The sushi prepared by Kazuo Morita, one of Japan's most famous sushi chefs, embodies the high techniques and spirit of hospitality cultivated through years of experience, allowing you to experience authentic sushi.
Komatsu Yasuke operates on a complete reservation system with three sessions per day. When making a phone reservation, it would be good to confirm which sessions Kazuo Morita will be preparing sushi. Please savor Japan's finest taste with the supreme sushi prepared by this once-in-a-generation sushi craftsman.
You can fully enjoy the charm of Komatsu Yasuke even on other occasions!
Source:Tabelog
At Komatsu Yasuke, you can savor exquisite sushi even when Kazuo Morita is not preparing it. The artisans at this establishment have learned techniques and sushi philosophy directly from him, and they carry on his traditions when preparing sushi. The ingredients are also of the same high-quality standard of seafood, and the flavors are consistently first-class.
The other craftsmen have also trained for many years, and you can enjoy high-quality sushi prepared with careful movements and advanced techniques. In this way, even if you cannot book a session with Kazuo Morita at Komatsu Yasuke, you can fully savor authentic sushi made with fresh local seafood.
When you come to Kanazawa, enjoy exquisite cuisine at restaurants loved by locals!
For those who want to enjoy Kanazawa's exquisite cuisine, the "Kanazawa Night Foodie Tour" guided by locals is recommended. This tour visits three hidden famous restaurants frequented by local people, where you can savor excellent gourmet dishes such as sashimi, oden (a hot pot dish of boiled eggs and vegetables simmered in broth), and sake.
Kanazawa, a historic city, has many hideaway-style izakayas (Japanese bars) that have been loved by local people for many years. With this tour guided by locals, you can fully enjoy local flavors at famous restaurants where you can taste authentic Kanazawa gourmet food that is not oriented toward tourists.
Additionally, this tour offers the experience of comparing and tasting 3 to 5 types of distinctive sake. Please note that Japanese law restricts alcohol consumption to those aged 20 and above, so participation in the tour is also limited to those 20 years and older.
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Meeting point: In front of the Korinbo Ramoda bldg
Tour area: Korinbo to Katamachi
Start time: From 18:00
Three popular sushi restaurants in Kanazawa alongside Komatsu Yasuke
Otome Sushi
Source:Tabelog
Otome Sushi is a long-established sushi restaurant located in the "Kigura-machi Shotengai Shopping Promenade," which boasts over 300 years of history. While it is known nationwide as one of Kanazawa's representative sushi restaurants, it is particularly a famous establishment beloved by local regular customers.
At Otome Sushi, in addition to standard nigiri sushi such as tuna and squid, you can enjoy exquisite sushi made with Kanazawa specialties such as sweet shrimp and Blackthroat seaperch. The sushi prepared by the owner creates an exquisite harmony as the fresh seafood and shari (sushi rice) melt delicately in your mouth.
At this sushi restaurant, I also love how the sushi is beautifully arranged on glossy black plates, looking like works of art. Please try savoring the supreme sushi that is perfectly balanced between the topping and rice, both in taste and appearance.
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Address: 4-10 Kigura-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business hours: 12:00 - Last entry 13:30/ 17:00 - Last entry 19:00
Closed: Wednesdays, Sundays, National holidays
Phone number: 076-231-7447
Official website: None
Kourin Sushi
Source:Tabelog
Kourin Sushi, a long-established sushi restaurant founded in 1951, is a popular establishment where you can enjoy exquisite sushi made with fresh seafood at reasonable prices. This restaurant is located about a 7-minute walk from "Omicho Market," where ingredients such as seafood and vegetables gather from all over Kanazawa, and they prepare sushi with ingredients procured from the market every morning.
What I love about Kourin Sushi is that you can taste sushi with large toppings and generous portions. You can savor luxurious sushi where exceptionally fresh seafood spreads throughout your mouth, such as sweet shrimp with rich sweetness and Ootoro (fatty tuna) whose fat melts in your mouth.
Since Kourin Sushi has English descriptions for all menu items, even foreigners who don't understand Japanese can order their favorite sushi with confidence.
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Address: 79 Hakuro-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business hours: 11:30 - 13:30 / 17:30 - 21:30
Closed: Wednesdays, Sundays
Phone number: 076-231-5964
Official website: http://kourin1.com/
Sushi Kibatani
Source:Tabelog
Sushi Kibatani, which opened in 2016, is a small high-end sushi restaurant nestled near the atmospheric tea district. In the interior of a renovated traditional house over 100 years old, you can taste supreme sushi prepared with expert techniques by the owner who trained at a long-established sushi restaurant in Tokyo.
A distinctive feature of Sushi Kibatani is its commitment to ingredients from the Hokuriku region, including Ishikawa and Toyama Prefectures. Freshly caught seafood, such as sea bream from Noto and yellowtail from Toyama, allows you to savor the refreshing umami that flows from the transparent, beautiful appearance and firm flesh.
Additionally, what I love about this restaurant is that they have an abundant selection of alcoholic beverages such as sake and beer from Ishikawa Prefecture. Since you're visiting Kanazawa, please enjoy the local exquisite gourmet food unique to the Hokuriku region to the fullest.
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Address: 1F, 1-8-26 Hikoso-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business hours: 17:00 - 22:00
Closed: Sundays, National holidays
Phone number: 076-256-1218
Official website: https://kibatani.com/ja
Three Must-Visit Kanazawa Restaurants Recommended for Authentic Foodies and Tourists
Tempura Koizumi
Source:Official website
Tempura Koizumi is a popular tempura specialty restaurant where you can enjoy authentic tempura in Kanazawa. In a serene space with only counter seating, they carefully serve freshly fried tempura one piece at a time, using local and seasonal ingredients.
At Tempura Koizumi, you can savor tempura made with seafood such as shrimp and sea bream, as well as seasonal vegetables like corn in summer and maitake mushrooms in autumn. The seasonal vegetables are colorful and vibrant, allowing you to experience Kanazawa's seasonal essence through both taste and visual presentation, which is one of my recommendation points.
This restaurant has an English reservation page for foreign travelers on their official website, making it easy to book even if you don't speak Japanese. Please feel free to enjoy the unique flavors that can only be found here, where Kanazawa's seasonal ingredients meet tempura, one of Japan's representative food cultures.
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Address: 34 Ikeda-machi 4-chome, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business Hours: Lunch 12:00-/ Dinner 18:00- (Last entry 20:00)
Closed: Sundays and irregular holidays
Phone: 076-223-0023
Official Website: https://tempura-koizumi.jp/
Tsubajin
Source:Official website
Tsubajin is Kanazawa's most historic traditional Japanese restaurant, established in 1752. In private rooms featuring diverse traditional architecture with distinct atmospheres, you can enjoy traditional Kaga Dishes including Kanazawa's local specialty, Jibuni.
At Tsubajin, you can enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine made with Kanazawa's representative seafood such as Blackthroat seaperch and sweet shrimp, as well as traditional vegetables like Kaga lotus root and Gorojima Kintoki (sweet potato). Among these, Jibuni, a simmered dish of duck meat and vegetables, is an exquisite creation where the umami of the duck and the sweetness of the vegetables harmonize perfectly.
Additionally at Tsubajin, the beautiful presentation using Ishikawa Prefecture's traditional crafts such as Kutani-yaki pottery and Wajima-nuri lacquerware is one of my favorites. With first-class taste, presentation, and hospitality, this is recommended for those who wish to experience a prestigious dining experience.
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Address: 5-1-8 Teramachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business Hours: Lunch 11:00-14:00 (Last entry 13:00)/ Dinner 17:00-21:00 (Last entry 19:00) /*Breakfast available at 7:00-,8:00-,9:00-.10:00-
Closed: Wednesdays
Phone: 076-241-2181
Official Website: https://tsubajin.co.jp/
Kifune
Source:Hitosara
Kifune is a Japanese restaurant located about a 5-minute walk from Kanazawa's iconic traditional streetscape, the Higashi Chaya District. It has gained popularity for offering creative Japanese cuisine using Kanazawa's seasonal ingredients in a charming renovated traditional house.
At Kifune, you can enjoy exquisite dishes made with premium ingredients such as Ishikawa Prefecture's brand Wagyu beef, Noto beef, sea urchin, and matsutake mushrooms at relatively reasonable prices. You can also enjoy unique ingredient combinations, such as Noto beef and corn rice, or oyster fry topped with sea urchin.
At this restaurant, the beautiful presentation using real plants such as cherry blossom branches in spring and bamboo leaves in summer is one of my favorites. Please enjoy the exquisite Japanese cuisine while experiencing Japan's four seasons through the flavors of seasonal ingredients and seasonally inspired presentations.
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Address: 1-9-69 Hikosanmachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Business Hours: [Lunch] 11:30-15:00 (Last entry 13:30) [Dinner] 17:30-22:30 (Last entry 20:30) *Sundays only: Also open for breakfast (7:00-9:00)
Closed: Wednesdays
Phone: 076-220-6131
Official Website: None
If You Come to Kanazawa, a City Where Japanese Tradition and History Live and Breathe, Enjoy Exploring the Streets
After savoring Kanazawa's exquisite cuisine, please visit the traditional streets and main tourist attractions to experience Kanazawa's history and culture as well. These exceptional dining experiences, as recommended by local food connoisseur Komatsu Yasuke, represent the pinnacle of Kanazawa's culinary heritage and are must-visit destinations for any serious foodie.
The Kanazawa Half-day Historical Walking Tour efficiently covers popular spots such as Kenroku-en, Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Chaya District, and Omicho Market. With this tour guided by a local expert, you can enjoy sightseeing while gaining a deeper understanding of each spot's appeal and Kanazawa's history.
This tour covers approximately 4 to 4.5 km, mostly outdoors on foot. Since Kanazawa's climate changes with the seasons, please dress appropriately for the time of year, such as taking measures against heat in summer and cold in winter.
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Meeting point: FamilyMart+Drug Komeya Kanazawa Musashi Store
Tour Area: Musashigasuji - Kanazawa Castle and Kenroku-en area - Higashiyama
Start Time: 10:00
