Sushi Ohata

Sushi Ohata offers a distinctly Osaka-style take on Tokyo-style sushi, a fresh experience even for those intimately familiar with the capital’s sushi. Here Edomae, sushi is served with a focus on white-fleshed fish — a preference of the Osaka locals. Chef and owner Ohata Masamichi apprenticed for a full 17 years before starting his own place, and his years of study have paid off marvelously. Sushi Ohata is now a popular spot among both locals and nomadic sushi lovers from around the country. Chef Ohata may adapt to local tastes, but he has a nationwide outlook, sourcing fish from Toyosu’s wholesale market (formerly located at the famous Tsukiji Market) and from the Seto Inland Sea. He varies his suppliers and locations of the ingredients throughout the year to account for the changing calendar of in-season products. But perhaps the greatest secret to his success is his use of vinegar. He takes as much care in pairing his vinegar blends with fish as the best French sommeliers do with wines, using white vinegar, red vinegar, or a mix of both. Michelin-starred sushi restaurants may not be as abundant in Osaka as in Tokyo, but Sushi Ohata proves that the quality here can match, or even top, that of the capital.