Think: the usual kaisen-don (sashimi on rice), but brought to a whole other level. Tsujihan is a small nondescript restaurant that’s said to attract two- to three-hour queues — even at odd hours on weekdays. This is especially so at its main Nihonbashi outlet; I decided to give its other branch at Kagurazaka a shot and, to my surprise, was able to walk right in at 7pm on a weekday night.

The restaurant is decked out in warm wood tones, with a hushed atmosphere. Everything seemed immaculately clean and modern, with diners focusing on their meal and eating quietly. 

You know you’re in for a treat when there’s only one thing on the menu: Tsujihan specialises in Zeitaku-don (“luxurious rice bowl”), with only four different types on offer. Choose from:

• Ume (JPY1,250; ~SGD12.70): tuna, fatty tuna, shrimp, clam, salmon roe, crab meat, herring roe, squid, and cucumber
• Ta-ke (JPY1,650; ~SGD16.70): Ume, plus crab and more salmon roe
• Matsu (JPY2,200; ~SGD22.30): Ume, plus crab and sea urchin
• Tokojo (JPY3,600; ~SGD36.50): Matsu, plus more crab, sea urchin, and salmon roe

Basically, the higher you go, the more luxurious and bountiful the ingredients get. If you’d like, you can even add on more salmon roe for JPY300 (~SGD3), or more sea urchin for JPY500 (~SGD5). I decided to go with Matsu.

The appetiser consisted of four pieces of sea bream sashimi in miso sauce. Save two pieces of the sashimi for later; otherwise, enjoy it with wasabi, the house specialty soy sauce, and ginger.

Tsujihan is a counter seat-type of restaurant, so each bowl is prepared right before your eyes. Each diner will receive a glorious mountain of seafood topped with glistening sea urchin and, in my case, creamy sea urchin, together with crisp seaweed on the side.

I expected a rather mushy texture since everything was mixed together; however, I was pleasantly delighted by how refreshing the seafood concoction was. I appreciated the crunchiness of the cucumber, as well as the freshness of the seafood. My only gripe, however, would be that the flavours of each type of seafood blended somewhat together; I was unable to savour each unique taste. Nevertheless, the marriage of flavours works!

Don’t be too quick to polish off your entire bowl; once you’re done with the main ingredients, simply place your bowl on the counter. The chef will then fill your bowl with a hearty homemade broth, to turn the remaining mixture into a chazuke. Add your remaining pieces of sashimi into the chazuke, and you’ll feel as if you’re having two different meals in one.

Plus, if you think about the quality of ingredients in each bowl, Tsujihan does offer pretty splendid value for money. I’ll be back to try the Tokojo next time!

Address: Japan, 〒162-0825 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kagurazaka, 3 Chome−２ Yamanouchi Bld, 1F

Opening hours: 11am - 9pm, daily