Sushi Hajime (Shibuya)

With many sushi restaurants placing special emphasis on the quality of their neta toppings, it’s easy to forget that sushi is actually equal parts neta and shari (rice). But Chef Takahoshi Hiroshi, head chef and general manager at Sushi Hajime in Shibuya, isn’t about to let people forget. Of course, his sushi toppings are extremely fresh: being sent directly from his personal suppliers in Toyosu Market to his Namikibashi counter. There, he expertly slices and serves them up into toppings for Edomae-style sushi. But it’s the rice where Sushi Hajime really sets itself apart. The shari is made from some of the finest rice in Japan, Aizu Koshihikari, renowned for its sweetness, stickiness and beautiful glow. It’s this same rice that goes into every single nigiri at Sushi Hajime, after being cooked traditionally in a hagama pot and lovingly treated with the restaurant’s original blend of red vinegar. The name “hajime”, written with the character for “one” but pronounced like the word for “beginning”, is truly appropriate for a restaurant such as Sushi Hajime. A single bite of nigiri is a fleeting moment, but Chef Takahoshi hopes that that one moment will be a beautiful catalyst: the first step into falling irresistibly in love with Japan, its culture and its food. And between the neta bursting with umami, the soft, sticky shari, and the easy banter with Chef Takahoshi and his staff, guests are hard-pressed to not fall in love with Japanese culture right there and then. Cupid’s arrow often takes the form of the abalone in liver sauce, Chef Takahoshi’s specialty. The abalone is stewed in pure water and sake for half a day until soft and tender, then dressed with a sauce that bursts with flavor.