Restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan
Eight seats, no cards, book by phone only.
Sushi Karashima is Fukuoka's most consistently credentialled omakase counter: a Tabelog Bronze Award winner three years running (2024–2026), ranked #108 in Japan by Opinionated About Dining in 2025, with a 4.23 score. Eight seats, cash-only, dinner-only, and phone reservations required up to one month out. At JPY 60,000–79,999 per person, it delivers serious omakase in an intimate setting.
Dinner at Sushi Karashima runs JPY 60,000–79,999 per person — roughly $400–530 USD at current rates — which puts it among Fukuoka's most expensive omakase counters. For that spend, you get a Tabelog Bronze Award winner (2024, 2025, 2026) with a 4.23 score, named in the Tabelog Sushi WEST Top 100 in 2021, 2022, and 2025, and ranked as high as #108 among all restaurants in Japan by Opinionated About Dining in 2025. The case for booking is strong if high-end omakase is what you're after. If you want something more accessible in Fukuoka's sushi scene, look elsewhere , this counter is not designed for casual visits.
Sushi Karashima opened in May 2018 in Akasaka, a quieter residential neighbourhood in Fukuoka's Chuo Ward, close to Sakurazaka station. Chef Hiroshi Karashima runs an eight-seat counter , that's it, eight seats , which means the room is intimate by design. There are no private rooms. The scale here is the point: every guest is in the same space, watching the same hands work, with no separation between kitchen and table. For a special occasion dinner, that intimacy is genuinely part of what you're paying for. The counter format delivers focus and precision that larger venues simply cannot replicate.
The restaurant operates dinner-only, running two seatings: 6:00–8:15 PM and 8:30–11:00 PM, seven days a week. There is no lunch service, so if your editorial angle points toward morning or daytime visits, Sushi Karashima does not fit that brief. This is strictly an evening destination. The venue is non-smoking throughout, and guests are asked not to wear strong fragrances , perfume or heavily scented fabric softener are grounds for refusal of entry. Both policies are worth knowing before you arrive.
Payment is cash-only: no credit cards, no electronic money, no QR code payments. At JPY 60,000–79,999 per person, that means arriving prepared with a meaningful amount of cash , plan ahead, particularly if you're travelling without ready access to a Japanese ATM. Children are only welcome if they can participate in the adult omakase course without modification. The venue can be reserved for private hire in its entirety, which makes it a genuine option for a small-group celebration if you can coordinate the booking.
Booking logistics require attention. Reservations are accepted by phone only, up to one month in advance from the same calendar date , meaning you can call on June 1st to book July 1st, but not earlier. Calls are not accepted during service hours (6:00–11:00 PM), so your window is daytime only. Reservations by proxy are not permitted; you must call yourself. Given the eight-seat capacity and the venue's consistent award recognition across multiple years, booking a month out is the practical target. This is not a walk-in counter.
Within Fukuoka's sushi tier, Sushi Karashima sits alongside Chikamatsu and Gahoujin 我逢人 as the city's most credentialled omakase options. For broader Japan context, it operates at a level comparable to counters like Harutaka in Tokyo or Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong , serious, small-format omakase with consistent national recognition. Fukuoka's proximity to Kyushu's seafood supply gives counters here a genuine regional argument; the city is often cited as one of Japan's strongest sushi cities outside Tokyo and Osaka. If you're building a Japan itinerary around sushi, Sushi Gyoten, Sushi Osamu, and Tenzushi Kyomachi are worth cross-referencing alongside Karashima. For the wider Fukuoka picture, see our full Fukuoka restaurants guide, and for planning your stay, our Fukuoka hotels guide and bars guide cover the rest of the city.
See the comparison section below.
Book exactly one month in advance , that is the maximum the reservation policy allows. Calls open on the same calendar date one month prior, and given only eight seats per seating, popular dates fill quickly. Call during daytime hours only; the phone is not answered during service (6:00–11:00 PM). For a weekend or holiday date, be ready to call the moment the booking window opens.
Yes, this is one of the stronger special-occasion choices in Fukuoka. The eight-seat counter creates genuine intimacy , no competing noise, no large tables nearby, full focus on the meal. Three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and a top-100 OAD Japan ranking give it the kind of credentialled weight that makes it a meaningful choice for a milestone dinner. The price (JPY 60,000–79,999 per person, cash only) sets expectations correctly: this is a considered splurge, not a casual treat. Small groups can also book the full venue for private use.
The entire venue is a counter , all eight seats face the chef. There is no separate dining room or table seating. This is an omakase counter experience by design, and that format is non-negotiable. If you prefer table seating or want the option of a la carte ordering, this is not the right venue. For counter-style omakase, though, this is precisely the format Karashima is built around.
Dinner is your only option. Sushi Karashima does not serve lunch. The restaurant operates two evening seatings , 6:00–8:15 PM and 8:30–11:00 PM , seven days a week. The first seating is the better choice if you want a relaxed pace and prefer not to be eating late into the evening. Both seatings run the same omakase at the same price tier.
This is an omakase-only counter, which by its nature offers very limited flexibility around dietary restrictions. No information in the venue record indicates accommodation for allergies or dietary preferences. Given the eight-seat format and the fixed course structure, it is worth calling in advance (daytime only, 080-6661-3999) to discuss any restrictions before booking. Do not assume substitutions are available.
Within Fukuoka's high-end sushi tier, Chikamatsu and Gahoujin 我逢人 are the closest peer comparisons for omakase quality. Sushi Gyoten and Sushi Osamu are also worth considering if Karashima is fully booked. For a different cuisine entirely, Matsuyama covers Western-style fine dining in the city. See our full Fukuoka restaurants guide for the complete picture.
No formal dress code is listed, but at JPY 60,000–79,999 per person and with three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards, the room expects smart, understated dressing. More practically: avoid strong perfumes or heavily scented products , the restaurant explicitly states that guests wearing strong fragrances will not be permitted to enter. That policy applies to fabric softeners as well as perfume, so factor it into your preparation on the day.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Sushi Karashima | — | |
| Chikamatsu | — | |
| Gahoujin 我逢人 | — | |
| Genkiippai | — | |
| Matsuyama | — | |
| Mihara Tofuten | — |
How Sushi Karashima stacks up against the competition.
Book exactly one month in advance — phone reservations open only on the same calendar day one month prior, so timing your call is everything. Reservations by proxy are not accepted, meaning you must call yourself at +81-80-6661-3999. Do not call during service hours (6–11 pm); call before the evening shift. With just 8 seats and a Tabelog Bronze award, spots go quickly.
Yes, but it suits couples or very small groups better than celebrations involving a crowd. The counter seats only 8, there are no private rooms, and children are not permitted unless they can eat the full adult course. At JPY 60,000–79,999 per person and with Tabelog Bronze recognition every year from 2024 through 2026, the occasion needs to match the format: intimate, focused, and unhurried.
The entire restaurant is a counter — all 8 seats face the chef. There is no separate bar or table seating, so a counter seat is your only option. That format is central to the experience at Sushi Karashima, putting you directly in front of Chef Hiroshi Karashima throughout the meal.
Dinner is your only option. Sushi Karashima operates dinner service only, running two seatings: 6:00–8:15 pm and 8:30–11:00 pm. There is no lunch service. Budget JPY 60,000–79,999 per person for dinner.
The venue data does not specify dietary accommodation policies, so check the venue's official channels before booking. One firm rule is clear: guests with strong fragrances — perfume or scented fabric softeners — will not be admitted. Children must be able to eat the full adult omakase course; there is no alternative menu.
Chikamatsu and Matsuyama are comparable high-end omakase options in Fukuoka worth considering if Sushi Karashima is fully booked. Gahoujin 我逢人 and Genkiippai operate in different format or price tiers and may suit diners who want more flexibility. Mihara Tofuten is a tofu-specialist restaurant, not a sushi counter, and serves a completely different type of meal.
No dress code is documented for Sushi Karashima, but the price point (JPY 60,000–79,999), the 8-seat counter format, and the no-fragrance policy together signal a restrained, considered atmosphere. Smart, understated clothing is a safe read for an omakase at this level. Avoid heavy perfume or strongly scented products — the restaurant will turn you away at the door if fragrance is detected.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
