Now That the Inner Market Area of Tsukiji Fish Market Is Closed, Seamon Ginza Is the Spot for Sushi That You Need To Know About

Hearing “Tsukiji, Tsukiji, Tsukiji, Tsukiji, Tsukiji” sounds like Jan Brady complaining about “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.”

I’m starting off with an obscure reference from the Brady Bunch because it should not be all about Tsukiji or Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! In fact, even when Tsukiji was open, if you are looking for the best sushi, Ginza is where it is at.

Ginza, Tsukiji, to Toyosu

If you want to try great sushi in the Tokyo area, Ginza is the spot, and I’m telling you that because as of October 6, 2018, the touristy Tsukiji Market shut its doors permanently in preparation for the 2020 Olympics (the outer market still exists tho). The new location for the fish market is in Toyosu which is slightly further out from the Tsukiji district.

Seamon Ginza Sushi Bar

My experience was at the Ginza location although Seamon also has a location in Nihonbashi in which the interior differs from Ginza, but it is equally as impressive looking.

Ginza had neighbored the Tsukiji fish market which is possibly one of the reasons why Ginza has some of the best sushi bars in Japan such as the 3-starred Michelin Jiro Sukiyabashi (Seamon is only a couple blocks away).

If you still want to do the fish market, it has been moved even further out from Tokyo Station to Toyosu which is about 3.0 miles away. Ginza on the other hand is closer and it has Kyubey, Seamon, Jiro, to Itamae (to name a few) all within walking distance.

Aside from the new Toyosu fish market, the popular tourist spot, Sushi Dai has also made the move over to their new space, and they will all be open for business as of October 11th, 2018.

If you’re a bloody yank, you should know that sushi bars are just like burger joints when it comes to the vast range of quality and prices which is why I will explain things in relation to burgers (that’s me speak’n Murican to a fellow Murican, the way we speak in a’Muuurica!).

The Price Range of Sushi

To give you a relatable idea of the scope and range of restaurants, there are very affordable kaiten sushi places which are on par with a QSR: quick service/fast food restaurants ($1 per plate) like Carl’s Jr, McDonald’s, to Jack in the Box although I would choose kaiten over any American fast food chain. Next up, are larger casual chains ($15-30) such as Sushi Zanmai that would be comparable with an In’n’Out, Mooyah, Burger Lounge, to Shake Shack. Now, as for where Seamon stacks up, they are your small casual chain ($50-$175) like the Breslin or the Spotted Pig (both in NY). Although not that much further off would be the epitome of all sushi restaurants which are well-respected restaurants ($200-300+) in which a number of them are Michelin starred sushi bars from Saito, Hatsune, to Jiro.

This is a rather large sushi bar by Japan standards.

I should also point out that these shots are from a couple of years back because I slack on posting, but they’re still relevant.

I got to meet the head chef because the girl I had been dating at that time had been working part-time at Seamon, so I owe it to her to have gotten such a personalized experience.

Seamon is part of the Kimihiko Araya PRODUCE Restaurant Group who owns the Japanese seafood company Godak. They also own and operate these restaurants: MASQ (Ginza), Kazan (Ginza), Seamon (Ginza), Seamon (Nihonbashi), GOSS (Ginza), CILQ (Omotesando), Cafe VAVA (Nihonbashi) and Shrimp Garden (Toranomon).

My girlfriend at that time had mentioned how the parent company of Seamon had specialized in this prawn, but I couldn’t remember the name of. So after some researching, I found out that it is called the obsiblue which is raised in New Caledonia (off of Australia’s East coast), and if you want to know more, go read this impressive article by Jeffrey T. Iverson in Food & Drink that is posted on Centurion Magazine website. If you’re not the reading type, you can also check out the obsiblue website for the pictures.

Kinako is roasted soybean flour and a taste that goes back to my childhood of eating mochi aka choking hazard.

Support Toyosu, but remember there is also Ginza (you got to love them all, like kids even though you have a favorite child, Like Macia Brady)

Repeat after me, it’s all about Ginza, Ginza, and Ginza, especially if you’re okanemochi.

Seamon Sushi Pricing

Chef’s choice sushi lunch: 5,500-5,940円
Sushi lunch: 3,800-4,104円
Sushi lunch kaiseki: 8,500-9,180円

The lunches range from $49-$80

Chef’s choice dinner course: 15,000-16,200円
Special sushi dinner: 12,500-13,500円
Sushi dinner: 9,800-10,584円
Sushi kaiseki course: 18,000-19,440円

The dinners range from $86-$171

Seamon Sushi Ginza

Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, 中央区Ginza, 5−5-13 坂口ビル
+81 3-5537-0010
www.seamon.jp
Mon-Fri: 11:30am-3:00pm, 5:00-11:00pm, Sat:  11:30am-3:30pm, 5:00-11:00pm, Sun: 11:30am-3:00pm, 5:00-10:00pm

Thank you MM for being the best hostess with the most’ess.