Restaurant in Ishikawa, Japan
Serious sushi counter, easier to book than Tokyo.
Sushi Shinosuke is a quietly serious counter sushi-ya in Kanazawa's Irie district, ranked #379 on Opinionated About Dining's Japan list in 2024 and climbing for three consecutive years. Book it for a special occasion dinner when you want focused craft in a calm room, backed by Ishikawa's sake culture. Booking is rated Easy, making it one of the more accessible OAD-recognised counters in the region.
If you've been to Sushi Shinosuke once, the question on a second visit is whether the experience holds up. The short answer: it does. Chef Kenji Maeda's sushi-ya in Kanazawa has climbed the Opinionated About Dining Japan rankings three consecutive years — Recommended in 2023, #379 in 2024, #429 in 2025 , which places it firmly in the tier of restaurants worth building a Kanazawa trip around. For a special occasion dinner or a considered lunch with someone whose palate you respect, this is one of the clearest bookings in Ishikawa's sushi category.
The address puts Sushi Shinosuke in a residential pocket of Kanazawa's Irie district, away from the tourist circuits around Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya. That matters for atmosphere: this is not a performative setting designed to photograph well. Expect a quiet room where the dominant sound is the work itself , the rhythm of a counter sushi-ya, measured and unhurried. For a date night or a business meal where conversation is the point, that kind of controlled quiet is worth more than a loud, energetic dining room. If you want energy and spectacle, this is not the right choice. If you want focus and craft, it is.
Sushi Shinosuke runs both lunch (12–2:30 pm) and dinner (6–9 pm) service Tuesday through Saturday, closing Sundays and Wednesdays. The lunch sitting tends to attract a local clientele in Japan's sushi-ya culture , often quieter, occasionally better value depending on how the omakase tiers are structured, though pricing details are not publicly listed. Dinner is the natural choice for a special occasion, when the room shifts into evening mode and the pace slows further. Neither session is a compromise; the question is mostly about your schedule.
On the drinks side: Ishikawa is sake country. The prefecture's rice and water have made it one of Japan's most respected sake-producing regions, and a well-run sushi counter in Kanazawa should reflect that. Sushi Shinosuke's specific drinks list isn't documented in detail, but if you are visiting Kanazawa for a serious sushi meal and skipping the sake pairing, you are leaving the experience half-finished. Ask what local breweries they're pouring , Kanazawa's proximity to producers like Fukumitsu and others in the Noto Peninsula means access to bottles that don't travel far beyond the region. This is one of the concrete reasons to eat sushi here rather than in Tokyo: the local drinks program, when it reflects the prefecture, is genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere. For a broader look at Ishikawa's drinks culture, see our full Ishikawa bars guide.
An OAD #379 ranking (2024) positions Sushi Shinosuke among the top tier of Japan's sushi destinations outside the Tokyo-Osaka axis , comparable in recognition to counters that draw destination diners. For context on what that tier looks like elsewhere in Japan: Harutaka in Tokyo and HAJIME in Osaka operate at the apex of their respective cities. Sushi Shinosuke doesn't claim that level, but for a regional city like Kanazawa, the consistent OAD recognition across three years signals real quality rather than a single strong year. If you are already visiting Ishikawa , exploring the Noto Peninsula, the Kenroku-en gardens, or making use of the Kanazawa Shinkansen connection , this is the sushi booking that justifies lingering an extra day. For comparison, Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong and Shoukouwa in Singapore are what top-tier Japanese sushi looks like when exported; Sushi Shinosuke is what it looks like when it stays home.
Booking is rated Easy , this is not the kind of counter that requires a connection or a three-month lead time. A week or two of advance planning should be sufficient for most dates, though a special occasion with a specific date in mind warrants booking as soon as your travel is confirmed. No website or phone number is listed publicly; approach via Google Maps or a hotel concierge in Kanazawa for reservation assistance. Dress code is not specified, but a quiet counter sushi-ya in Japan calls for smart-casual at minimum , arrive looking like you take the meal seriously. The address is 3 Chome-73 Irie, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 921-8011.
| Venue | Cuisine | Booking Difficulty | Notable Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Shinosuke | Sushi | Easy | OAD Leading Restaurants Japan #379 (2024) |
| Komatsu Yasuke | Sushi | , | OAD Listed |
| Otomezushi | Sushi | , | OAD Listed |
| Taheizushi | Sushi | , | OAD Listed |
| Installation Table ENSO | Multi-course | , | , |
Book Sushi Shinosuke for a special occasion dinner when you want a quiet, technically serious sushi counter in Kanazawa. The OAD ranking progression over three years is the strongest available signal that quality here is consistent, not occasional. For broader Ishikawa dining options, see our full Ishikawa restaurants guide. If you're planning a wider Kanazawa trip, our Ishikawa hotels guide and experiences guide are worth reading alongside this page.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so a week to two weeks ahead is typically sufficient. That said, if you have a fixed travel date or a specific occasion in mind, book as soon as your schedule is confirmed. The consistent OAD ranking means this counter attracts destination diners alongside locals, so popular evening slots can fill. No public website is listed; contact via Google Maps or ask your Kanazawa hotel concierge to assist with the reservation.
Sushi Shinosuke operates as a traditional sushi-ya counter, which is the natural format for this type of restaurant in Japan. Counter seating is the experience here, not a secondary option. Seat count isn't publicly documented, but a Kanazawa counter of this calibre typically runs between 8 and 16 seats. The counter is where the meal happens , if you want a private room, this may not be the right format for your group.
Within the Ishikawa sushi category, Komatsu Yasuke, Otomezushi, and Taheizushi are the direct peers. If you want something outside the sushi format, Installation Table ENSO and L'Atelier de NOTO offer multi-course experiences in the region. For a full picture, see our Ishikawa restaurants guide.
No formal dress code is published, but a quiet counter sushi-ya in Japan , especially one with consistent OAD recognition , calls for smart-casual at minimum. Avoid strong fragrances, which interfere with the meal for other guests at a small counter. Business casual or neat casual is the practical standard. This is not the kind of dining room where showing up in resort wear would feel appropriate.
Both sessions run the same hours pattern (12–2:30 pm and 6–9 pm, Tuesday through Saturday). For a special occasion, dinner is the natural choice: the room is in evening mode, the pace is unhurried, and the experience sits differently than a midday meal. Lunch works well if your schedule demands it, and in Japan's sushi-ya culture, lunch counters often attract a more local, regular crowd. Pricing differences between sessions aren't publicly documented.
Yes, and this is one of its clearest use cases. The OAD ranking progression (Recommended 2023, #379 2024, #429 2025), the quiet counter atmosphere, and the regional setting in Kanazawa combine to make this a meal that feels considered rather than transactional. For an anniversary, a significant birthday, or a serious dining experience on a Japan itinerary, Sushi Shinosuke delivers the right register. Pair it with a local sake selection and the occasion largely takes care of itself.
No website or phone number is publicly listed, which makes pre-visit communication harder than at venues with a direct booking portal. For dietary restrictions , particularly relevant in an omakase or fixed-format sushi setting, where the menu is largely set in advance , reach out through Google Maps or via a Kanazawa hotel concierge who can communicate in Japanese. Significant restrictions (shellfish allergies, severe vegetarian requirements) are worth flagging well before arrival; a traditional sushi counter has limited flexibility to restructure the format at short notice.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Shinosuke | Sushi | Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #429 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #379 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Recommended (2023) | Easy | — |
| Komatsu Yasuke | Sushi | Unknown | — | |
| Otomezushi | Sushi | Unknown | — | |
| Taheizushi | Sushi | Unknown | — | |
| Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme | Unknown | — | ||
| L'Atelier de NOTO | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
One to two weeks in advance is typically enough. Booking is rated straightforward for a counter at this level — no connection or three-month lead time required, unlike comparable Tokyo counters. Dinner slots on Fridays and Saturdays fill faster, so book those earlier.
Counter seating is the format here, which is standard for a sushi-ya of this calibre. There is no separate bar area for walk-ins. Reserve in advance to secure a seat — this is not a drop-in venue.
For sushi specifically, Otomezushi and Taheizushi are the closest local alternatives in Kanazawa. If you want to compare across cuisines, Komatsu Yasuke covers kaiseki at a high level in the region. Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme and L'Atelier de NOTO offer a more contemporary, French-influenced approach to Ishikawa's ingredients.
No dress code is documented for Sushi Shinosuke, but the setting — a residential Kanazawa counter with OAD Top 400 recognition — calls for neat, understated clothing. Avoid anything overpowering in scent, which can interfere with the sushi experience.
Dinner is the better choice for a special occasion: the 6–9 pm sitting has more time and a quieter atmosphere. Lunch (12–2:30 pm) is a practical option if you're touring Kanazawa and want a serious meal without an evening commitment. Both sittings run Tuesday through Saturday.
Yes — it's the right call for a quiet, technically serious dinner in Kanazawa. Chef Kenji Maeda's counter has climbed from OAD Recommended (2023) to OAD #379 in Japan (2024) to #429 (2025), which places it firmly in the upper tier of regional sushi outside Tokyo and Osaka. The residential location adds to the sense of occasion without the tourist-circuit noise.
No dietary restriction policy is documented for Sushi Shinosuke. Omakase-format sushi counters generally have limited flexibility around substitutions, so if you have serious allergies or dietary requirements, check the venue's official channels before booking — ideally through your hotel concierge if you don't speak Japanese.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
