There is a common misconception that Tokyo is a pricey destination to visit, what with souvenir shops by the dozens, and tasty food choices no matter where you turn. But saying that Tokyo is expensive need not necessarily be true.

We believe that you can always choose whether or not your trip to the land of sushi, ramen and all things kawaii is going to be painful to the wallet or not. Tokyo has many affordable yet impressive dining options within the city.

Ganso Zushi—a Kaitenzushi chain in Tokyo—is one such place. It is not a name as frequently mentioned when people talk about dining in Tokyo, but it is definitely one which serves fresh sushi at incredibly affordable prices.

The kaitenzushi chain has outlets all over Tokyo, so you will probably stumble across one of their restaurants while you are in the more popular shopping districts around the city. They are relatively easy to locate and can be found in popular shopping districts, so you do not need to go hunting for them.

Prices for their sushi starts from ¥130 (S$1.72) for plates with the more “regular” choices such as salmon and tuna. Subsequently, other plates go at ¥210, ¥262, ¥399 and ¥525. You will find all kinds of sushi in the likes of fatty tuna, sweet prawns, swordfish, and even uni (sea urchin)!

Photo Credit: bitterbubblegums

The freshness is not compromised despite it being a chain. English menus are provided in the restaurant, so you do not need to worry much about the language barrier.

A tip from the locals for all kaitenzushi chains would be to order straight from the sushi chef. The Japanese rarely ever take plates of sushi off the conveyer belt, simply because they might have been there for a while, and freshness means everything to the locals.

Ganso Zushi Shinjuku
160-0023 Tokyo Nishi-Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, 1-15-5
Tel: +81 03-5321-5775
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm

Just when you think the Japanese cannot outdo themselves, they prove you wrong. They have always been known for their creativity in innovations, and our recent visit to Kura Sushi in Ikebukuro proved that a sushi restaurant need not be just a sushi restaurant.

Kura Sushi might not seem like much to the unsuspecting passerby. But look out for it, and you will be rewarded with pocket-friendly ¥100 sushi. Yes, you read that right—¥100. That is less than S$1.50!

But eating has never been more rewarding. You also get to experience the gachapon machines within the restaurant! Here is why you should visit Kura Sushi And Go Crazy With ¥100 Sushi.

If you did not do your research before visiting Ikebukuro, you might just walk past Kura Sushi. After all, it is located in the basement of a boring office building, and it is far from the big shops and restaurants in the shopping district.

But if you take a closer look, you will realise just how crowded Kura Sushi is—and the crowd is mostly locals! Expect a waiting time of about 45 minutes to an hour.

Kura Sushi is not your ordinary kaiten sushi chain. Besides offering sushi at ridiculously cheap prices of ¥100 per plate, you also get to play with the gachapon machines stationed at every table. While on the conveyer belt, the plates of sushi make their rounds in little domes to retain the freshness.

After you finish devouring four plates of sushi, drop the plates into a little slot in the table and you will automatically have a go at the gachapon machine. Chances of winning this electronic gachapon are at random, so try your luck!

The standard of taste and quality at Kura Sushi, however, is not stellar. It is definitely not the best in Tokyo, but we believe that for ¥100 per plate, and for the added fun of playing with gachapon machines, it is worth that trip to Ikebukuro.

Kura Sushi
Toshima-ku, Tokyo Minamiikebukuro
1-19-5 G Building Minamiikebukuro 01 B1F
Tel: +81 03-5960-1810
Mon to Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat and Sun: 10.20am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Ikebukuro

Read: Guide to Tokyo’s Best Affordable Sushi Restaurants.

Japanese food in Tokyo is one-of-a-kind experience and is a leisure on a whole different level. Sushi and sashimi are so fresh that you will never see Japanese food in the same light ever again. And the authenticity is one that you do not get as with eating local food at any other country. For one, it is beyond atmospheric that, once again, eating Japanese food in Japan will change your life altogether – in every good way, of course.

People always speak of how expensive Japanese food is and how the price tags deter them from feasting when in Japan. It is not true. We have sussed out 4 Affordable Sushi Restaurants in Tokyo that you can try without breaking the bank.

Midori Sushi

Having heard raved reviews about Midori Sushi, I was looking forward to dine there to find out why it is so popular. One of the reason why there is a long queue at Midori Sushi every day is because of the reasonable prices. The cheapest sushi set is only ¥840. However, we were not blown away by it – the sushi was decent, but nothing special – especially since we had to queue more than half an hour for it. Nonetheless, this is a place to dine at if you are looking for an affordable sushi restaurant in Tokyo, and if you do not mind queuing.

Dogenzaka 1-12-3
Mark City East 4F
Open 11am-10pm daily
Tel: +81 03 5458 0002
Nearest Station: Shibuya

Nemuro Hanamaru

Don’t be deceived by the conveyer belt sushi restaurant at Kitte Shopping Mall, which is a few minutes walk from Tokyo Station. Nemuro hHnamaru serves fresh sushi at great value. Most of the sushi plates are priced between ¥136 to ¥336. One of our favourites was the Seared Salmon (¥262). From the side menu, the Crab Soup (¥336) – with huge chunks of crab meat – and the Chawanmushi (¥262) are also excellent choices.

Tokyo KITTE 5F
2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku
Tel: +81 03 6269 9026
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Tokyo

Ryu Sushi

A trip to Tokyo will not be complete without having sushi breakfast at the world famous Tsukiji Market. Sushi Dai and Sushi Daiwa are the most popular sushi restaurants at the fish market. However, people wait in line from as early as 6am, and the queue is easily three hours long. Honestly, I feel that the other sushi bars in Tsukiji Market are just as good.

One place that you can try is Ryu Sushi. It has a extremely good and fresh sashimi and sushi at very decent prices. The Kiku Sushi Set (¥2,100) comes with 7 pieces of sushi, and 6 pieces of sushi rolls, and a beautiful Chirashi (¥3,100). We were blown away by the quality and freshness of the food.

Read: Five reasons to visit Tsukiji Market

5-2-1, Building 1. Chuo-ku
Tsukiji Market, Tokyo
Tel: +81 03 3541 9517
Nearest Station: Tsukiji/Tsukijishijo

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi

Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is a place where I will return to again and again whenever I am in Tokyo. It does not have any Michelin stars, nor is it extremely popular. But it serves super good quality sushi and sashimi at ridiculously cheap prices.

The basic Sushi Set (¥990), with ten pieces of sushi, is very value-for-money. Our favourite dish is the Chirashi-don (¥1,390) which comes with huge slices of sashimi. Uoriki Kaisen Sushi is a hidden gem and one of the most affordable sushi restaurants in Tokyo. I wholeheartedly recommend this place.

B1 Tokyu Department Store
2-24-1 Shibuya
Tel: +81 03 5428 3813
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Shibuya