Amaki

Verdict

If you visited Amaki in its first year and came back expecting the same experience, little will have changed in format — and that consistency is the point. This 11-seat counter on the 18th floor of the Nagoya Kanko Hotel is reservation-only, dinner-only, built around a single sitting each evening. It earned Tabelog Bronze in both 2025 and 2026, holds a Tabelog score of 4.20, was selected for the Tabelog Sushi EAST Top 100 in 2025. For serious sushi in Nagoya, it belongs in the conversation alongside the leading the city offers. Book it if counter sushi at JPY 30,000–39,999 per head fits your budget and your itinerary allows an evening booking.

About Amaki

Amaki opened in May 2024, which makes its back-to-back Tabelog Bronze wins in 2025 and 2026 a notable early signal. Newer venues rarely accumulate that kind of recognition this fast, the Sushi EAST Top 100 selection confirms the place has traction beyond local novelty. Sitting on the 18th floor of a full-service hotel in Naka Ward, the room has the kind of settled, quiet atmosphere that counter sushi rewards: 11 seats, counter-only, no private rooms, a non-smoking policy throughout. The height adds a calm remove from the street; the format keeps the focus entirely on the food and the interaction across the counter.

The venue describes itself as particular about fish, which in this context means a sourcing emphasis on Aichi-region seafood and local product. The drink offering is sake (nihonshu), aligned with the format. It is worth noting that Tabelog's listing carries an explicit request to refrain from wearing perfume or strong scents — a standard ask at serious sushi counters where the subtlety of the ingredients is at stake, but one worth remembering before you arrive.

On the question of the editorial angle here: Amaki does not offer takeout or delivery, the format makes off-premise dining a non-starter. This is counter sushi, a live, sequential experience that depends entirely on timing, temperature, the interaction between chef and guest. If you are looking for a venue where the food travels, this is not it. What Amaki offers is the opposite: a fixed-time, fixed-place commitment that asks you to slow down and stay present. That trade-off is either the whole point or a dealbreaker, depending on what you are after.

For context against the broader Japan sushi scene: at JPY 30,000–39,999 per head, Amaki sits in a price tier occupied by credible omakase counters in Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, venues like Harutaka in Tokyo or counters within the Kansai circuit. It is not cheap by any measure, but it is not at the ceiling of the format either. The Nagoya market generally runs below Tokyo pricing for comparable quality, which makes Amaki's value positioning reasonable for what it delivers. For those building a regional food itinerary, it pairs logically with visits to Gion Sasaki in Kyoto or Goh in Fukuoka as part of a wider Japan dining trip.

Fushimi Station on the Higashiyama Line and Tsurumai Line is a five-minute walk, which makes getting here from central Nagoya direct. Hotel parking is available if you are driving. Credit cards are accepted (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners), but electronic money and QR code payments are not. Plan accordingly.

How It Compares

Within Nagoya's dining scene, Amaki sits at the upper end of the sushi category. Among the peer venues in this city, aru and Fujisawa operate in overlapping territory for serious Japanese cuisine, while GapricE, HIRO NAGOYA, and Hirovanna represent the city's broader fine dining range. Amaki's specific credential, two consecutive Tabelog Bronze awards and a Top 100 sushi listing in its first two years, gives it a clear head start in the awards column compared to peers without that kind of early recognition. If your primary criterion is a decorated sushi counter with verifiable peer validation, Amaki is the obvious choice in this set.

On booking difficulty, Amaki rates easy relative to comparable omakase counters in Tokyo or Osaka. At 11 seats and with a Nagoya location rather than a Tokyo address, demand is real but not at the level of a two-year waitlist. That said, same-week bookings are unlikely to be available, see the FAQ below for specific guidance on how far out to reserve. If you want a Nagoya sushi counter without the friction of a Tokyo omakase chase, Amaki is easier to land than equivalents at Harutaka in Tokyo or venues in the range of Atomix in New York City, though the formats are not directly comparable.

For diners building a multi-city Japan itinerary, Amaki works well as an Aichi anchor alongside broader exploration of the region. See our full Aichi restaurants guide for context, or cross-reference with hotels, bars, and experiences in the region. For a wider Japan dining trip, the venue pairs naturally with HAJIME in Osaka, akordu in Nara, or 1000 in Yokohama.