Restaurant in Akita, Japan
Akita's best counter. Book before Tokyo.
Sushisho is Akita's most decorated sushi counter, a three-time Tabelog Bronze Award winner and Tabelog Sushi EAST Top 100 selection with a score of 4.09. The eight-seat Edo-style counter serves dinner only at JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 per person. Easier to book than comparable counters in Tokyo, it is the right choice for solo diners and couples who want serious sushi without the capital city competition for seats.
If you are visiting Akita specifically to eat well, Sushisho is the reservation to secure first. It is the city's most decorated sushi counter, recognised in the Tabelog Sushi EAST Top 100 in 2021, 2022, and 2025, and a Tabelog Bronze Award winner in 2022, 2025, and 2026. For a solo diner or a couple serious about Edo-style sushi at a proper counter, this is the booking that justifies the trip. If you are after a group dinner, a casual meal, or anything other than focused, counter-based sushi, look elsewhere — the room seats eight, there are no private rooms, and the format demands your full attention.
Sushisho runs an eight-seat counter in a space described as stylish with generous seating proportions , compact by design, but not cramped. The atmosphere is quiet and concentrated, the kind of room where conversation stays low and the focus shifts to what is in front of you. This is not a venue for a celebratory group drinking session; the energy is deliberate and calm. Expect counter seating only , no private rooms are available, though the venue can be booked for exclusive private use if your party fills the eight seats. The drink list leans toward sake, with shochu and wine also available, and the sourcing is particular about fish quality.
The kitchen describes itself as particular about fish, and in Akita that has real seasonal meaning. The prefecture sits on the Sea of Japan, which produces distinct fish across the calendar year: buri (yellowtail) and white fish dominate colder months, while warmer months bring different species through the local market. Edo-style sushi at this level tracks those cycles closely, which means the counter's composition shifts with what is available. There is no fixed tasting menu publicly disclosed, so the leading approach is to book when your schedule allows and trust that the seasonal selection has been curated , but if you have a choice of months, late autumn through winter is generally when Sea of Japan fish is at peak condition. Check directly with the restaurant before booking if the season matters to your decision.
Booking difficulty here is rated easy relative to comparable counters in Tokyo, which makes it a genuine advantage. Reservations: Available online through Pocket Concierge 24 hours a day, or by phone on 018-866-0014 (note that calls during business hours may be difficult to connect , online is the more reliable route). Hours: Monday through Saturday, 18:00 to 22:00, with last orders at 20:30. Closed Sundays, public holidays, and the Monday following a public holiday. No lunch service. Budget: JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 per person at dinner, based on Tabelog review data. Payment: Credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners). Electronic money and QR code payments not accepted. Parking: Not available on site. Smoking: Non-smoking throughout.
See the comparison section below for how Sushisho sits against other leading tables in Akita.
If Sushisho is the anchor of your Akita itinerary, these are worth knowing about for wider Japan travel: Harutaka in Tokyo for Edomae sushi at a similarly intimate Tokyo counter; HAJIME in Osaka for a very different register of Japanese fine dining; Gion Sasaki in Kyoto if kaiseki is the comparison you want to make; Goh in Fukuoka for creative Japanese cuisine in the south; and akordu in Nara for a sharp alternative outside the major cities. For sushi at a counter format in a major international city, Le Bernardin in New York City and Atomix in New York City represent what the format looks like transplanted westward. For a comparable counter in Yokohama, see 1000 in Yokohama.
For more options in the region: our full Akita restaurants guide, our full Akita hotels guide, our full Akita bars guide, our full Akita wineries guide, and our full Akita experiences guide.
Yes , the entire venue is counter seating. There are no table seats or private rooms. All eight places are at the counter, which is the format the kitchen is built around. If you prefer a table setting, this is not the right venue; if you want the full counter experience with the chef in front of you, it is the only option here.
Up to eight people can dine together, which is the full capacity of the counter. For groups of that size, private use of the entire venue is available , contact the restaurant directly on 018-866-0014 or via Pocket Concierge to enquire. Groups larger than eight cannot be accommodated. At JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 per person, budget accordingly for a full-table booking.
Yes, and the venue specifically flags solo dining as a recommended occasion. An eight-seat counter is one of the better formats for eating alone in Japan , you are part of the room without needing a companion. The calm, low-noise atmosphere suits solo diners well. At JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 for dinner, the per-head cost is the same regardless of party size, so there is no financial penalty for coming alone.
Dinner is the only option , Sushisho does not serve lunch. The kitchen opens at 18:00 Monday through Saturday with last orders at 20:30, so arriving early in the dinner window gives you the most time. If you are hoping to fit in a long lunch and a sushi dinner on the same day in Akita, plan the sushi for the evening and use the daytime for something else.
For a different register of high-end dining in Akita, Nihon Ryori Takamura offers kaiseki rather than sushi , a useful alternative if your group includes people who prefer a multi-course Japanese format over a sushi counter. For a more casual or different cuisine style, affetto akita, f, giueme, and Kyu are worth considering depending on your preferred format and price point.
Yes, with the right expectations. The price point (JPY 30,000 to JPY 39,999 per person), the award credentials (Tabelog Bronze 2022, 2025, 2026; Tabelog Sushi EAST Top 100 three times), and the intimate eight-seat counter all make it suited to a serious celebratory dinner for two. It is less suited to large-group celebrations , there are no private rooms, no table seating, and the atmosphere is quiet and focused rather than festive. For a birthday dinner for a couple or a solo treat, it fits well.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushisho | {"Year":"2026","Award Source":"Tabelog","Award Type":"The Tabelog Award","Award Group":"bronze","Award Group Rank":"433","Restaurant Name":"Sushi Sho","Score":"4.09","Budget":"Dinner: JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999; Lunch: -","Budget Dinner":"JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999","Budget Lunch":"-","Price":"JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999 View spending breakdown","Average Price":"N/A","Average Price (Based on reviews)":"JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999 View spending breakdown","Featured Item":"N/A","Full Address (with ZIP)":"秋田県秋田市大町3-2-36 赤れんが郷土館前, 0100921, Japan","Address":"秋田県秋田市大町3-2-36 赤れんが郷土館前","Postal Code":"0100921","City":"Omachi Akita Akita","State":"Akita","Country":"Japan","Phone":"+81188660014","Phone Raw":"+81-18-866-0014","Website":"No official website found","Description":"Check out Sushi Sho/ すししょう (Akita/Sushi) on Tabelog! Edo-style sushi infused with the essence of Sushi Takumi and the sensibility of Mr. Sasaki, right here in Akita. [No Smoking] Discover Japanese restaurants featuring detailed information such as menus and maps, along with user-posted reviews, ratings, and photos!","Categories":"Sushi","Awards & Recognitions":"The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2021 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \"Tabelog 100\" 2021 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze 受賞店 2025年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze 受賞店 2022年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 寿司 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2025 選出店 寿司 百名店 2022 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2022 選出店 寿司 百名店 2021 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2021 選出店","Reservation availability":"Reservations available Please note that phone calls during business hours may be difficult to connect. Online reservations are available at Pocket Concierge 24 hours a day.","Business hours":"Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 22:00 L.O. 20:30 Sun, Public Holiday Closed No lunch service ■Closed on Sundays and Mondays following public holidays Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.","Payment methods":"Credit card accepted （VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners） Electronic money not accepted QR code payments not accepted","Private rooms":"Unavailable","Non-smoking/smoking":"Non smoking","Number of seats":"8 seats","Private use":"Available","Parking":"Unavailable","Space/facilities":"Stylish space, Spacious seating, Counter seating","Drink":"Shochu (Japanese spirits), Wine, Particular about Sake (Nihonshu)","Food":"Particular about fish","Service":"N/A","Family friendly":"N/A","Service charge & fee":"N/A","Dress code":"N/A","Maximum party size":"N/A","Location":"Hideout, A house restaurant","Occasion":"Solo dining friendly This occasion is recommended by many people.","Remarks":"N/A","The opening day":"N/A","Receipt (Qualified simple invoice)":"N/A","Latitude":"39.716493836264526","Longitude":"140.11619504489917","Primary Image URL":"","Image URL Count":"20","Image URLs":"","Restaurant ID":"5007025","Source URL":"","Raw Details JSON":"{\"Restaurant name\":\"Sushi Sho\",\"Awards & Recognitions\":\"The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2021 Selected for Tabelog Sushi EAST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2021 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze 受賞店 2025年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze 受賞店 2022年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 寿司 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2025 選出店 寿司 百名店 2022 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2022 選出店 寿司 百名店 2021 選出店 食べログ 寿司 EAST 百名店 2021 選出店\",\"Categories\":\"Sushi\",\"Phone number (for reservation and inquiry)\":\"018-866-0014\",\"Reservation availability\":\"Reservations available Please note that phone calls during business hours may be difficult to connect. Online reservations are available at Pocket Concierge 24 hours a day.\",\"Address\":\"秋田県秋田市大町3-2-36 赤れんが郷土館前 Show larger map Find nearby restaurants Transportation 1,172 meters from Akita.\",\"Business hours\":\"Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 22:00 L.O. 20:30 Sun, Public Holiday Closed No lunch service ■Closed on Sundays and Mondays following public holidays Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.\",\"Average price （Based on reviews）\":\"JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999 View spending breakdown\",\"Payment methods\":\"Credit card accepted （VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners） Electronic money not accepted QR code payments not accepted\",\"Number of seats\":\"8 seats\",\"Private rooms\":\"Unavailable\",\"Private use\":\"Available\",\"Non-smoking/smoking\":\"Non smoking\",\"Parking\":\"Unavailable\",\"Space/facilities\":\"Stylish space, Spacious seating, Counter seating\",\"Drink\":\"Shochu (Japanese spirits), Wine, Particular about Sake (Nihonshu)\",\"Food\":\"Particular about fish\",\"Occasion\":\"Solo dining friendly This occasion is recommended by many people.\",\"Location\":\"Hideout, A house restaurant\"}","Matched Location ID":"df38146c-0f39-4dc9-907c-e61052f3526a","Match Status":"matched","Match Method":"award_page_url_exact","Match Confidence":"high","Matched On URL":"","Matched DB Name":"Sushisho","Matched DB Address":"Akita Akita City大 Town 3236 赤renga郷土館前","Needs Review":"no","Review Reason":"","Fallback Score":"","Fallback Name Sim":"","Fallback Addr Sim":"","Fallback Loc Sim":"","Fallback City Sim":"","Fallback Country Sim":"","Fallback Phone Match":"","Fallback Domain Match":"","Fallback Explanation":""}; Tabelog Bronze Award 2025 Score: 3.95 Cuisine: Sushi / Akita Dinner: JPY 30,000 - JPY 39,999 Phone: 018-866-0014 Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 22:00 Address: Akita Akita City大 Town 3236 赤renga郷土館前 Tabelog: | Easy | — | ||
| Nihon Ryori Takamura | Kaiseki | Unknown | — | ||
| affetto akita | Unknown | — | |||
| f | Unknown | — | |||
| giueme | Unknown | — | |||
| Kyu | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Sushisho measures up.
Yes — the entire restaurant is a counter. Sushisho runs an 8-seat counter format, so every guest sits at the bar. There are no table seats and no private rooms available.
Small groups only. With just 8 seats total, the largest practical group is 4–6, and the venue is available for private hire as a whole. No private rooms exist within the space, so if your party wants exclusivity, booking out the full counter is the route. Contact via Pocket Concierge or phone (+81-18-866-0014) to enquire about private use.
Strongly yes. Tabelog reviewers specifically flag solo dining as a recommended occasion here, and a counter format with 8 seats is well-suited to it. At ¥30,000–¥39,999 per head for dinner, solo diners get the full experience without any group coordination overhead.
Dinner only — there is no lunch service. Hours run Monday through Saturday, 18:00–22:00 with last orders at 20:30. Sunday and public holidays are closed, as are Mondays following public holidays.
Within Akita city, Nihon Ryori Takamura covers Japanese cuisine at a comparable tier for those wanting a broader menu beyond sushi. affetto akita is the go-to if you want Italian rather than Japanese. For a more casual or lower-price-point evening, giueme and f offer alternatives in the local dining scene. Kyu rounds out the options for those seeking a different format entirely.
Yes, provided the occasion suits an intimate counter format. The 8-seat room, Tabelog Bronze recognition across 2022, 2025, and 2026, and a dinner spend of ¥30,000–¥39,999 per head position it as Akita's most credentialled sushi counter for a celebratory meal. Note that private rooms are unavailable, so conversations carry across the counter — suited to couples or small groups rather than large celebrations.
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 22:00
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
