Restaurant in Ishikawa, Japan
OAD-recognised sushi worth the Kaga detour.
Taheizushi in Kaga, Ishikawa is a regionally credible sushi counter recognised by Opinionated About Dining in both 2023 and 2024, ranking #234 among Japan's top restaurants. Chef Koji Mukano runs a kitchen that rewards diners who prioritise craft over spectacle. A solid choice for a special occasion in Ishikawa, particularly if you are already based in or around the Kaga onsen area.
Yes — with the right expectations. Taheizushi in Kaga has earned back-to-back recognition from Opinionated About Dining, ranking #234 among Japan's leading restaurants in 2024 and picking up a Highly Recommended nod in 2023. For a sushi restaurant operating outside the major urban centres, that kind of sustained OAD attention is a meaningful signal. If you are planning a celebratory meal in Ishikawa prefecture and want something rooted in regional craft rather than the polished omakase theatre of Tokyo or Osaka, this is worth your time.
Taheizushi sits in Kaga city, a quieter corner of Ishikawa known more for its onsen towns and traditional crafts than for destination dining. The setting itself signals something deliberate: this is not a venue positioning itself for the international fine-dining circuit. Chef Koji Mukano runs the kitchen in a format that prioritises the quality of what arrives in front of you. The visual experience here is the sushi counter itself — the precision of the fish, the proportions of the rice, the unhurried pace of service. For a special occasion, that restraint is an asset rather than a limitation. You are not paying for spectacle; you are paying for skill.
Regarding group and private dining: no dedicated private room data is available in Pearl's records, so if that is a requirement for your celebration, confirm directly with the venue before booking. The Google rating of 3.9 across 625 reviews suggests a broader local clientele beyond destination diners, which typically means the kitchen handles mixed-occasion bookings with some regularity.
Taheizushi is open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am to 9pm, and on Monday with the same hours. Wednesday and Thursday are closed. That four-day operating week is worth planning around , particularly if you are visiting Ishikawa during peak autumn foliage season (late October to mid-November) or during the summer Kaga onsen travel period, when regional demand rises. Lunch and early dinner slots are your safest entry point if you are visiting without an advance booking, though an OAD-listed venue in a region with growing food tourism attention will fill faster than its local reputation might suggest.
The OAD recognition is the most useful signal here. OAD rankings are driven by votes from frequent diners and food professionals, not by PR campaigns. A #234 ranking nationally means this is a venue that serious eaters are choosing when they visit the region.
Reservations: No online booking system is listed in Pearl's records; contact the venue directly. Booking lead time: 1–2 weeks is a reasonable buffer given the OAD profile and limited operating days. Hours: Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun 11am–9pm; closed Wed and Thu. Dress: No formal dress code listed , smart casual is appropriate for a celebratory visit. Budget: Price range not confirmed in Pearl's data; expect regional sushi pricing rather than Tokyo omakase rates, but verify before booking. Accessibility: Address is Nu-24-1 Sakumimachi, Kaga, Ishikawa 922-0423.
For broader context on sushi dining in Ishikawa, see our full Ishikawa restaurants guide. Within the prefecture's sushi options, Taheizushi's OAD ranking places it clearly above casual neighbourhood sushi but below the most decorated counters in Kanazawa city. Komatsu Yasuke and Otomezushi are the regional comparisons most worth considering if you want to benchmark the category before deciding. Sushi Shinosuke is another Ishikawa option worth reviewing. For a different occasion format entirely, Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme and L'Atelier de NOTO offer non-sushi alternatives in the region.
If you are building a wider Japan sushi itinerary, Harutaka in Tokyo and Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong represent the upper end of the format for comparison. Outside Japan, Shoukouwa in Singapore is the regional benchmark. For other celebrated Japanese dining worth pairing with an Ishikawa trip, consider HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, and 1000 in Yokohama.
For planning the rest of your Ishikawa visit: our Ishikawa hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide are useful starting points.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taheizushi | Sushi | Easy | |
| Komatsu Yasuke | Sushi | Unknown | |
| Otomezushi | Sushi | Unknown | |
| Sushi Shinosuke | Sushi | Unknown | |
| Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme | Unknown | ||
| L'Atelier de NOTO | Unknown |
A quick look at how Taheizushi measures up.
Group suitability is not confirmed in Pearl's records. Given the Kaga location and the restaurant's OAD standing, it is likely a smaller operation where large groups (6+) could be difficult to seat comfortably. check the venue's official channels to confirm capacity and any group booking requirements before assuming space is available.
Specific menu items are not documented in Pearl's records, so ordering recommendations should come from the venue directly when you book. What is documented is that Chef Koji Mukano runs the kitchen and the restaurant has sustained OAD recognition across two consecutive years — a reasonable indicator of consistency. Ask the chef or staff for the day's omakase or seasonal selection when you arrive.
Taheizushi is in Kaga city, a quieter part of Ishikawa better known for onsen and traditional crafts than for destination dining — which is part of the point. Chef Koji Mukano leads the kitchen, and the restaurant has earned back-to-back Opinionated About Dining recognition (Highly Recommended in 2023, ranked #234 in Japan in 2024). Go knowing this is a regional sushi experience, not a Tokyo-style omakase counter. Wednesday and Thursday closures are firm, so plan accordingly.
Both services run the same hours (11am–9pm), so the format is unlikely to differ dramatically between lunch and dinner. Lunch is the practical call if you're building a day around Kaga's onsen or craft sites — it leaves the evening open. Dinner makes sense if you're arriving from outside Ishikawa and need travel time. Neither slot has a clear quality edge based on available information.
Yes, with calibrated expectations. An OAD Top 234 Japan ranking (2024) is a credible trust signal — this is not a casual neighbourhood sushi-ya by any measure. The Kaga setting adds occasion weight for visitors willing to travel for it. Price range is not confirmed in Pearl's records, so verify costs directly before committing; that figure will determine whether the occasion spend is appropriate for your budget.
Within Ishikawa's sushi options, Otomezushi and Sushi Shinosuke are the most direct comparisons for sushi-focused dining. For a different format entirely, Installation Table ENSO L'asymetrie du calme and L'Atelier de NOTO offer contemporary or French-influenced alternatives in the prefecture. Komatsu Yasuke is worth considering if you want a different cuisine style in the same region. Taheizushi's OAD ranking makes it the strongest verified sushi choice in the Kaga area specifically.
Aim for at least one to two weeks in advance. Taheizushi is not a high-volume city restaurant — it operates five days a week (closed Wednesday and Thursday) — so popular Friday and Saturday slots fill without much notice. No online booking system is listed; check the venue's official channels. If you're travelling specifically for this meal, secure the reservation before finalising your travel dates.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
