Sushi Imamura

Worth Booking? The Verdict on Sushi Imamura

If you are planning a serious sushi dinner in Tokyo's Shirokane neighbourhood, Sushi Imamura belongs on your shortlist. Chef Kentarou Imamura has built a reputation steady enough to earn back-to-back recognition from Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Japan list; ranked #185 in 2024 and #231 in 2025, with a Highly Recommended nod the year before. That trajectory tells you something useful: this is not a one-season discovery. The caveat worth stating upfront is that price range data is not confirmed in our records, so budget planning requires a direct enquiry before you commit.

The Restaurant

Sushi Imamura operates from a precise address in Minato City; 6 Chome-5-9 Shirokane, a quieter residential pocket of Tokyo that sits at a deliberate remove from the tourist-heavy Ginza omakase circuit. Where venues like Sushi Kanesaka or Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongiten draw diners into the centre of the city, Imamura rewards the effort of travelling slightly off the beaten path. For explorers who read a neighbourhood as part of the experience, Shirokane gives the meal a less performative context than Ginza's dining-district density.

The room is not documented in detail in our records, but the visual register of a serious Tokyo sushi counter, hinoki wood, considered lighting, the counter itself as the central object, is a reasonable expectation at this level of recognition. What you are looking at when you sit down is the work itself: nigiri shaped and served at the pace the chef sets. That rhythm is the point.

Planning Your Visit: A Multi-Visit Strategy

Sushi Imamura opens Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 pm to 11 pm, on Sunday it runs both a lunch service (12 pm to 1:30 pm) and an evening sitting. Monday and Tuesday are closed. Wednesday has a 5:30 pm to 11 pm service. That Sunday lunch slot is the detail to focus on if this is your first visit: it is the only midday service available, it gives you a distinct experience from the evening format, lighter pacing, often a shorter wait to secure a reservation, a different atmosphere than a Tokyo dinner that runs late into the night.

For a second visit, the evening sessions from Thursday through Saturday are the natural next step. If you are planning a Japan itinerary that includes dining across multiple cities, Sushi Imamura fits well as the Tokyo anchor, with options like Gion Sasaki in Kyoto or HAJIME in Osaka providing contrast in format and cuisine further along the trip.

Booking Sushi Imamura

Booking difficulty is rated Easy at Sushi Imamura, which is genuinely useful information in a city where the most decorated sushi counters can require months of lead time or a local contact. That said, Easy does not mean walk-in territory at a venue with OAD recognition, plan at least one to two weeks ahead, if you have a specific date locked, book as soon as that date is confirmed. No phone number or online booking link is available in our records, so confirmation of the reservation method is a necessary step before you travel. The Sunday lunch sitting is worth prioritising on a first trip: it is the session most likely to have flexibility and gives you the clearest read on whether an evening return is worth planning.

If Sushi Imamura is full, Edomae Sushi Hanabusa and Hiroo Ishizaka are worth checking in the same part of the city. For the wider Tokyo dining picture, browse our full Tokyo restaurants guide, or plan the rest of your trip with our Tokyo hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide. If your Japan trip extends beyond Tokyo, Pearl covers 1000 in Yokohama, akordu in Nara, and Goh in Fukuoka, as well as 6 in Okinawa. For serious sushi travellers benchmarking Tokyo against the rest of Asia, Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong and Shoukouwa in Singapore are the reference points worth knowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should I book Sushi Imamura?

• Booking difficulty is rated Easy relative to Tokyo's leading sushi counters, but that does not mean last-minute. Book one to two weeks out as a baseline. For weekend evenings, push that to three weeks. Confirm the reservation method directly with the restaurant before planning travel around it, as no online booking link is in our records.

What are alternatives to Sushi Imamura in Tokyo?

• For sushi at the top of the city's range, Harutaka is the clearest peer, though harder to book. Sushi Kanesaka is worth comparing if you want a Ginza address. Edomae Sushi Hanabusa and Hiroo Ishizaka are solid alternatives in a similar neighbourhood band if Imamura is fully booked.

Is lunch or dinner better at Sushi Imamura?

• Sunday lunch (12 pm to 1:30 pm) is the only midday sitting, it is the smarter first visit. It tends to be easier to book than peak evening slots, the shorter service window makes it a more focused introduction to the counter. Return for a Thursday-to-Saturday evening once you know you want to come back.

Is Sushi Imamura good for solo dining?

• Yes. A counter-format sushi restaurant is one of the few dining formats that actively works better solo. You get the chef's full rhythm without the coordination of a group, a single seat is generally the easiest booking to place. Solo diners should aim for a weekday evening or the Sunday lunch sitting.

What should I wear to Sushi Imamura?

• No dress code is documented in our records, but at an OAD-recognised counter in Minato City, smart casual is the reliable call. Avoid heavy perfume or cologne, at a close counter, it interferes with the food. Beyond that, the venue does not appear to enforce formal attire requirements.

Is Sushi Imamura good for a special occasion?

• Yes, with a qualification: the counter format is intimate, not celebratory in the traditional sense. There is no room for large groups or elaborate production. It suits a special occasion leading when that occasion is the meal itself, a birthday dinner for two, an anniversary for a couple who eats seriously, or a personal milestone you want to mark with a very good counter seat.

What should I order at Sushi Imamura?

• Specific menu data is not confirmed in our records, generating dish recommendations without that would be guesswork. At an omakase-format counter at this recognition level, the safe assumption is that the menu is set by the chef. Your job is to communicate dietary restrictions clearly when booking, then follow the sequence as offered.