Sushi no Ma

Ehime Prefecture is situated on Shikoku Island, separated by Japan’s main island by the narrow Seto Inland Sea. This sea is known to have some of the best fishing waters in the country — a fact which this Michelin star sushi restaurant capitalizes on. The Matsuyama City restaurant, Sushi no Ma, is run by a chef who honed his skills for 16 years at the famous Sushi Ken in Tokyo. Nowadays, he serves up the distinct Ehime style of sushi — with a preference for white fish which hasn’t been aged — with some elements drawn from his time in Tokyo. Alongside locally caught fish, he gathers varieties from all around to Japan to give locals a taste of the sheer breadth of ingredients available in bigger cities. These find their way onto the top of his firm sushi rice to form petit nigiri — delicate and small enough that you can enjoy many in a row without getting too full. The local touch comes in the form of local sake mixed in with the soy sauce, and sudachi citrus fruit juice used to add an acidic note to dishes. These local touches, along with the world-class sushi skills of Tokyo, make a meal at Sushi no Ma one of the best in the world, with two Michelin stars.