Matsu Zushi

Matsu Zushi (松寿司) carries eighty years of Okayama sushi in its walls — founded in 1946, now in its third generation under chef Miyake (三宅), who trained five and a half years at Ginza Sushikou Honten (銀座寿司幸本店), one of Tokyo's oldest sushi names. That Ginza pedigree is audible in the shari: a traditional aka-zu (赤酢) Edomae style, the red-vinegar rice that defined the old Tokyo manner long before white-vinegar shari became the modern default.

What sets the house apart is a pairing of disciplines you rarely find on one counter. Miyake is a certified sommelier, and the restaurant holds a Michelin star alongside Gault&Millau recognition — so the aka-zu nigiri can be walked through with a considered wine flight rather than the obligatory sake. The signature is unexpected and quietly wabi-sabi: a grilled shiitake (椎茸) nigiri, an earthy, humble mushroom elevated to the same dignity as the fish — a small statement that craft, not luxury of ingredient, is the heart of the thing.

The Setouchi (瀬戸内) sourcing gives the white fish and shellfish their clean, gentle profile, and the room — ten counter seats plus a small four-person zashiki tatami room — runs from 18:00 toward a 22:00 close, reservation-only.

Two honest notes shape the fit. The fourteen total seats make this the largest box among Okayama's serious counters, softening the intimacy this framework prizes. And the aka-zu itself divides palates — its assertive acidity is a love-it-or-not proposition, so come curious rather than expecting the rounder white-vinegar style. Course pricing starts around ¥13,000–14,300; confirm the all-in figure, service charge, and photography policy at booking. Matsu Zushi is not yet visited by us and curated from its public record.