Komata

Ise City is famous for its ancient shrine, dedicated to the Japanese sun goddess, but the city is home to another equally important pilgrimage spot: the sushi restaurant Komada. The chef and proprietor, Komada-san, trained at the famous three-star restaurant Araki in Tokyo, then returned home to open his own place. The result is a restaurant which combines the best of Ginza sushi expertise with local favorite ingredients from the chef’s youth. Black abalone and spiny lobster are two such delicacies from the local area. These feature in a range of appetizers inspired by the local area, which then give way to world-class nigiri. Komada-san doesn’t usually age his fish, preferring to serve most of his dishes totally fresh. The locals were just happy to see Ise’s first top-quality Edomae sushi shop open. Little did they know it would turn out to be one of the very best in Japan, as proven by the three Michelin stars it holds — a real mark of honor for the town.