Restaurant in Osaka, Japan
Serious Edomae counter. Worth the booking effort.
A Michelin-starred Edomae sushi counter in Osaka's Nishitenma district, Sushiroku earns its star through technical rice work — dual shari matched to each topping — and a chef whose silence lets the craft speak. At ¥¥¥, it's the right call for a focused special-occasion dinner for two, but requires booking four to six weeks ahead and rewards diners who know the format.
Sushiroku is the right call for a serious sushi dinner in Osaka: a Michelin-starred counter in Nishitenma where the format is intimate, the pacing is chef-led, and the rice work is technical enough to hold the attention of anyone who cares about Edomae tradition. Book it for a date night, a solo splurge, or a business dinner where you want quality without the spectacle of a larger room. If you are looking for a high-energy group meal, this is not the place. If you want to sit at a hinoki cypress counter and watch a chef who communicates through his work rather than his words, it earns its star.
The counter at Sushiroku is hinoki cypress — the traditional material of choice for serious sushi bars in Japan, chosen for its faint natural scent and the warmth it brings to an otherwise spare setting. The interior is described as cosy, which in this context means compact and counter-focused: the room is built around the chef's workspace, not around ambient atmosphere. There are no distractions from the sushi itself. For a special-occasion dinner, that focus works in your favour , the experience is about what is placed in front of you, not the decor around it. Compared to the larger dining rooms at [Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/kashiwaya-osaka-senriyama) or [Taian](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/taian), the scale here is deliberately minimal.
The technical detail at Sushiroku is what justifies the ¥¥¥ price point. The chef uses two types of shari , sushi rice , depending on what is being served: rice vinegar with white-fleshed fish, red vinegar with fatty cuts. That level of rice calibration is not standard practice, and it reflects a kitchen that is thinking about harmony between rice and topping rather than applying a single formula across the entire omakase. Soy-marinated tuna is formed and then wrapped in nori in the style of tekkamaki, adding a textural layer and a nod to classical Edomae technique. The foundation is Edomae sushi, but the chef incorporates Kansai sensibility , a distinction that matters in Osaka, where local culinary culture has its own strong identity and diners notice when it is acknowledged. The 2025 Michelin Plate and 2024 Michelin Star confirm this is cooking that the guide has consistently rated as worth a special journey.
Service model at Sushiroku is built around the chef's silence. He is described explicitly as a man of few words, and the experience is framed around observation rather than explanation. For some diners, that restraint reads as respect , the food speaks, the chef does not narrate. For others, especially first-timers to the omakase format, the absence of verbal context can feel like a missed opportunity to understand what is being served and why it matters. At ¥¥¥, you are paying for craft, not performance. If you want a chef who walks you through the sourcing and technique behind each piece, Sushiroku may not match your expectations. If you want to sit quietly at a counter and let the food carry the evening, it fits precisely. The Google rating of 4.2 across 113 reviews suggests the format divides opinion slightly , which is consistent with a room that demands a certain kind of attentive, patient diner.
For comparison, [Harutaka in Tokyo](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/harutaka-tokyo-restaurant) operates in a similarly restrained register for Edomae sushi, and the experience at that level typically rewards diners who arrive having eaten lightly and with time to spare. The same applies here. Do not come to Sushiroku hungry for theatre. Come for precision.
Sushiroku holds a Michelin Star, is located in Nishitenma , one of Osaka's most concentrated dining districts , and operates a counter format that limits covers by design. Expect booking difficulty to be high. No phone number or direct booking URL is available in our current data, so the most reliable route is through a concierge service or a dedicated Japan restaurant reservation platform. Leave at least four to six weeks if you are booking around a fixed travel date; for weekend evenings, extend that window further. Walk-in is not a realistic option at this level.
Sushiroku is at 4 Chome-12-22 Nishitenma, Kita Ward, Osaka , centrally located and accessible from major transport hubs in the city. For a broader view of dining in the city, see [our full Osaka restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/osaka), and for where to stay nearby, [our full Osaka hotels guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/hotels/osaka). If you are extending your trip, [our full Osaka bars guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/bars/osaka), [our full Osaka wineries guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/wineries/osaka), and [our full Osaka experiences guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/experiences/osaka) cover the rest.
For sushi elsewhere in Osaka, [Sushi Harasho](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/sushi-harasho-osaka-restaurant), [Matsuzushi](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/matsuzushi-osaka-restaurant), [Sushi Hoshiyama](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/sushi-hoshiyama-osaka-restaurant), [Sushi Murakami Jiro](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/sushi-murakami-jiro-osaka-restaurant), and [Sushi Sanshin](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/sushi-sanshin-osaka-restaurant) are all worth comparing at booking stage. Beyond Osaka, [Gion Sasaki in Kyoto](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/gion-sasaki-kyoto-restaurant) and [akordu in Nara](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/akordu-nara-restaurant) are strong options if you are building a wider Kansai itinerary. For sushi benchmarks further afield, [Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/sushi-shikon-hong-kong-restaurant) and [Shoukouwa in Singapore](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/shoukouwa-singapore-restaurant) sit in the same serious register. For regional Japanese dining outside the Kansai area, [Goh in Fukuoka](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/goh-fukuoka-restaurant), [1000 in Yokohama](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/1000-yokohama-restaurant), and [6 in Okinawa](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/6-okinawa-restaurant) are worth knowing.
Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star (2024), Michelin Plate (2025), ¥¥¥, counter seating, Nishitenma Kita Ward Osaka, booking difficulty: high, no walk-ins.
Book four to six weeks out at minimum for a weekday seat; for Friday or Saturday evenings, extend that to six to eight weeks. Sushiroku holds a Michelin Star in one of Osaka's most competitive dining districts, and the counter format means total covers per service are limited. No direct booking link is currently available in our data , use a Japan concierge reservation service or a platform that specialises in Japanese restaurant bookings.
The counter format makes large groups impractical. This is a venue suited to two to four people at most; anything larger risks disrupting the intimate pacing the experience is built around. At ¥¥¥ per head, groups expecting a communal, high-energy dinner should look elsewhere in Osaka. For a kaiseki option that handles larger tables more naturally, [Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/kashiwaya-osaka-senriyama) is a better fit.
There is no a la carte decision to make , Sushiroku operates as an omakase counter, meaning the chef determines the progression. The known technical signatures include dual shari (rice vinegar for white fish, red vinegar for fatty cuts) and soy-marinated tuna formed tekkamaki-style. Trust the sequence and do not arrive with a list of specific requests. If you have a genuine dietary requirement, communicate it clearly at the time of booking.
The counter is the dining format at Sushiroku , there is no separate bar area or table seating. Eating at the hinoki cypress counter is the experience. If you are hoping for a casual drop-in drink before dinner, this is not that kind of venue. The counter seating means every guest is directly in the chef's working space, which is intentional to the format.
The chef does not narrate the meal. If you are new to omakase or unfamiliar with Edomae technique, arrive having read briefly about what distinguishes Edomae sushi from other styles , the rice work, the curing methods, the use of nori , so you can follow what is happening without needing explanation. Eat lightly beforehand, arrive on time, and let the pacing be the chef's to control. At ¥¥¥ with a Michelin Star, expectations should be calibrated to precision and restraint, not to volume or variety for its own sake.
No dress code is listed in our current data, but at Michelin Star level in Japan, smart casual is a safe baseline: neat, clean clothing with no strong fragrance, since perfume can interfere with the flavour experience at a close counter. Avoid anything that would read as overly casual in a quiet, focused room. Business casual or above is the practical standard for ¥¥¥ dining in this context.
No specific dietary accommodation policy is available in our data. Given the omakase format and the chef's focus on precise rice and fish pairing, significant restrictions , shellfish allergies, vegetarian requirements , may be difficult to accommodate without advance notice. Contact the venue directly before booking if you have a restriction that would substantially alter the menu. No phone number or website is currently listed; use your booking agent or reservation platform to pass the information through.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushiroku | A counter of hinoki cypress in a cosy interior. The chef is a man of few words, devoting himself to the sushi he’s forming. He uses two types of sushi rice to ensure harmony between rice and sushi toppings: rice vinegar with white-fleshed fish and red vinegar with fatty cuts, for example. Soy-marinaded tuna is wrapped in nori after it is formed, in the style of tekkamaki. The basis is Edomae sushi but with respect for Kansai culture. The inventiveness of the chef’s work makes it all the more impressive.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin 1 Star (2024) | ¥¥¥ | — |
| HAJIME | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| La Cime | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama | Michelin 3 Star | ¥¥¥ | — |
| Taian | Michelin 3 Star | ¥¥¥ | — |
| Fujiya 1935 | Michelin 2 Star | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
A quick look at how Sushiroku measures up.
Book at least four to six weeks in advance. Sushiroku holds a Michelin Star and operates a small counter format in Nishitenma, one of Osaka's most competitive dining districts — seats go fast. If you are travelling from abroad, lock this in before you book flights.
Counter-format sushi bars in Japan typically seat between eight and twelve guests, which means groups larger than four will likely be split or face scheduling constraints. Sushiroku's intimate room is built for pairs or small groups of three to four — it is not a practical choice for a party of six or more.
Sushiroku serves omakase — the chef decides the progression, so there is no à la carte menu to select from. The kitchen's documented approach includes dual shari technique (rice vinegar for white-fleshed fish, red vinegar for fatty cuts) and soy-marinaded tuna wrapped in nori as tekkamaki. Let the chef lead; that is the format.
The counter is the restaurant. Sushiroku is a counter-only venue built around a hinoki cypress bar, so every seat puts you directly in front of the chef. There is no separate dining room or table seating.
The chef is described as a man of few words — the experience is quiet and chef-led, not conversational. It follows Edomae sushi principles with deliberate nods to Kansai culture, so expect technique-forward pacing rather than theatrical presentation. At ¥¥¥, this is a commitment; go in knowing the format suits you before booking.
The venue data does not specify a dress code, but a Michelin-starred counter in Nishitenma at ¥¥¥ pricing warrants neat, understated clothing. Avoid strong perfume or cologne — it conflicts with the subtle scent of hinoki cypress and the delicate flavours of the sushi.
Omakase counters in Japan are built around a fixed progression chosen by the chef, which makes accommodating significant dietary restrictions difficult. No specific policy is documented for Sushiroku. If you have allergies or strict dietary requirements, check the venue's official channels at the time of reservation — ideally through your booking platform or hotel concierge.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
