Shibuya Sushi Lab

The Zen concept of shuhari is one often applied to Japanese martial arts and tea ceremony. A three-word compound meaning to “protect”, “break” and “leave” respectively, the concept first emphasizes mastery of fundamentals, followed by experimentations in form, and finally true mastery in the form of complete departure from established schools of thought. This is the driving philosophy behind the sushi at Shibuya Sushi Lab. Chef Tahara Ryuichi has spent 26 years training in Edomae sushi restaurants, so there are few chefs more familiar with the form than he. Naturally, his staff are also likewise required to be intimately familiar with the very fundamentals of sushi-making. But the very name of Shibuya Sushi Lab implies experimentation, and therefore a significant part of the menu offerings are Tsumoto-style sushi, a style that is rapidly gaining popularity in recent years. Tsumoto-style refers not to a specific way of making sushi, but a particular bloodletting process that imbues the fish with more flavor and umami. Depending on the species, the fish at Sushi Lab are aged up to 40 days, making the flavor of each piece especially rich. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Shibuya Sushi Lab is its price, which belies its upscale location along Mitake-dori, right outside Shibuya Station’s Miyamasuzaka Exit. Similar restaurants in Ginza offer omakase courses for easily three to even four times the price of an equivalent in Shibuya Sushi Lab. Guests are invited to enjoy the mastery of Chef Tahara and his staff in a sophisticated hideaway, isolated from the bustle of the Scramble Crossing.