If you ask a purist they will say edomae style is the only sushi worth eating. If you ask a student they might say ‘the grocery store has a great value’. But for a lot of Japanese the invention of kaitenzushi, or conveyor belt sushi, is one of the favorite past times.
Conveyor belt sushi has begun to get popular outside of Japan in recent years, but it is a staple in Japan at cities large and small. The history of kaitenzushi is quite interesting so please read on and learn about Japan’s famous conveyor belt sushi!
What Is Kaitenzushi?
Kaitenzushi, also called sushi train or conveyor belt sushi, is a popular dining concept that originated in Japan in 1958. The concept was invented by Yoshiaki Shiraishi in Higashiosaka, a city in Osaka prefecture. He thought up the idea after watching the robotic assembly line at the Asahi brewery.
Kaitenzushi restaurants are easily recognizable by the long, winding conveyor belt that snakes around the restaurant laden with small plates of various sushi and sashimi. The plates are usually different colors or patterns which signify the difference in prices.
Patrons, who either sit at a counter with the conveyor belt directly in front of them, or at a table that butts up against the beltway, can grab their choice as it passes by. The counter and tables are generously stocked with condiments like shoyu (soy sauce), wasabi, gari (pickled ginger) as well as tea. There is a hot water spout that sticks out from the counter in which people can fill their cups and make tea themselves.
The price is determined by how much sushi you eat. An attendant (or computer) will tally up your bill and you can pay by cash or card in most establishments.
A Brief History Of Japanese Conveyor Belt Sushi
Kaitenzushi was invented in 1958 by Yoshiaki Shiraishi in Higashiosaka city. He spent 5 years developing the concept and building the conveyor belt for his restaurant. However kaitenzushi did not explode in popularity right away. It was not until he showed off this idea at the Japan World Exhibition in Osaka in 1970 that conveyor belt sushi achieved rapid expansion.
Yoshiaki Shiraishi’s restaurant was called Genroku-zushi and eventually grew to over 250 locations. This was due to many factors, such as the aforementioned world expo, the rise in popularity of eating out instead of at home, and the financial crisis of the 90s which led people to look for cheaper sushi options.
These days there are only a few real Genroku-zushi spots left, but there are very many kaitenzushi restaurants all over Japan, and even internationally.
How Does Conveyor Belt Sushi Work In Japan?
Because there are so many different companies that have kaitenzushi in Japan there are differences in how they work. However I will try to explain the basic concept so when you visit a kaitenzushi restaurant yourself you will know how it works.
Like with most restaurants it all starts when you enter the front doors. You will either be greeted by a hostess who will take your party number and lead you to a table, or there will be a sign that says to go ahead and seat yourself.
If you are by yourself or with one other person it is customary to sit directly at the counter. Tables are recommended for larger groups so please do not make the social faux-pas of sitting alone at a 4-6 person table. If you are a party of three you can of course take a table, but the most polite thing to do is to see if there is a corner spot on the counter that way you keep a table open but can still converse in your group normally.
Ordering Sushi At A Kaitenzushi
Once you are seated you can begin right away. I suggest grabbing a cup and making yourself some hot green tea and then grabbing whatever plates of sushi you would like to eat as they pass on by.
If there is a type of sushi that you really want, but you do not see it on the conveyor belt, you can ask the chef or the attendant for a plate of it. Depending on the restaurant either an attendant will bring it out to you directly or it will pass by on the belt with a signifier that it is a special order. This way other patrons know not to grab it for themselves. The signifier might be your table number, an image, or a colored sticker, or sometimes nothing at all. In the last case it is up to you to know how your sushi looks so you can grab it.
You should not need to order things like soy sauce or ginger as they will already be on your table, however if you run out you can always ask the attendant for more.
Payment
The price of your meal will be the culmination of the various sushi and sashimi you eat. This is calculated by an attendant who comes by when you ring for the bill, or in some restaurants it is done using RFID chips in the plates and you can pay through a tablet at the table.
Many kaitenzushi are all about automation, so you can pay with cash, card, or your phone (like with applepay and the like).
Tipping
Tipping is not expected at kaitenzushi restaurants, nor is it appreciated. Like with all restaurants in Japan there is no need to tip so once you pay you can leave and enjoy the rest of your day!
Kaitenzushi Dos and Don’ts
- Do – feel free to eat whatever sushi you want in whatever order. This is not omakase and no one is judging you for eating sushi out of the ‘proper’ order.
- Do – make use of the complimentary condiments like soy sauce and ginger.
- Do – ask for special requests if there is not a sushi on the conveyor belt you want. Note that you may not receive your order immediately as the chef may be making other rolls and can not get to your order right away.
- Don’t – take a plate off of the belt and then return it to the belt, even if you don’t eat the sushi. This is unhygienic and against the rules of almost all kaitenzushi.
- Don’t – take someone else’s special order, even if it looks super, super appetizing. Just ask for a special order for yourself!
- Don’t – hide plates or put empty plates back on the belt. This is stealing and you will get caught.
- Don’t – sit at a large table if you are by yourself. Most workers will not say anything but it is considered rude and an inconvenience to larger groups who may need that table.
Conveyor Belt Pricing Guidelines
As mentioned above, the price you pay is determined by the color or pattern of the plates you pull from the conveyor belt. At the table there will be a menu explaining the prices of the plates so you can keep a running tally of your bill as you eat.
For example a simple white plate will often be the cheapest offering you can get. Maybe 100 yen at casual places. On these plates you will find things like kappamaki (cucumber rolls) or tamagoyaki (rolled omelet with or without shari).
As you get up to other colors or patterns you will find more premium options. You will be able to find things like sake-nigiri (salmon nigiri) or meguro-nigiri (lean tuna nigiri).
The most expensive plates of course have the best things. These plates can be any color but they are always defined on your menu. A popular color is gold, but you will also see black with gold edges, or plates made of fine porcelain (usually plates are made from melamine or other plastic). On these plates you will get things like uni-gunkan (sea urchin) and otoro (fatty tuna belly), although not every kaitenzushi restaurant even offers these products.
You should expect to spend between $15 and $30 at a kaitenzushi for a filling meal, but this of course depends on how many premium plates you take.