How to Book Omakase Sushi in Tokyo (2026)
Tokyo's best-known sushi counters seat about ten people. Which dates are open differs from day to day, and a seat is taken the moment it appears. On top of that, most restaurants take bookings by phone and only in Japanese. Here is how to tell which restaurants you can book yourself, what cancelling costs, and what to do when you cannot get in.
Which restaurants you can book yourself
The test is simple. If the restaurant is listed on a booking site, you can make the reservation yourself.
The question is how to book the restaurants that are not listed. Tabelog lists about 900,000 restaurants in Japan. Online reservations are available at 98,000 of them. The other nine in ten cannot be booked on Tabelog, and many of them take bookings only by telephone, in Japanese.
And the restaurants you most want are the ones least likely to be listed.
Do Tokyo sushi restaurants accept foreigners?
- Yes, nearly all of them do.
- The only counter we could confirm as introduction-only is Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza. It stopped accepting bookings from the general public, which is why it was dropped from the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2020. Overseas guests go through a hotel concierge.
- We could not confirm any other Tokyo sushi restaurant with a published introduction-only policy. “The good sushiya turn foreigners away” is folklore.
- What you actually run into is the language. Few restaurants have staff who speak English.
Cancellation charges differ from restaurant to restaurant
The rules differ from restaurant to restaurant. Two counters listed on the same site look like this.
| Restaurant | 14–8 days | 7–3 days | Day before / same day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Masuda | 30% | 50% | 100% |
| Sushi Hashimoto | — | — | 50% day before, 100% same day |
| TableAll | 50% | 70% | 100% inside 48 hours |
- Booking fees are not refunded when you cancel.
- Some restaurants start charging 14 days out.
- The terms are on the booking screen, sometimes marked as available in Japanese only.
Omakase in Tokyo without a reservation
- Last-minute seats. Tabelog's app searches by time and party size, and cancellations do appear.
- Standing sushi. Uogashi Nihonichi in Yurakucho takes no reservations at all. ¥1,000–3,000, open 11:00–23:00 on weekdays. Walk in.
When you cannot get the booking yourself
YOROZU is a bilingual team in Tokyo. Send us the restaurant name and your dates on WhatsApp or LINE.
- First we check whether you can book it yourself. If you can, we send you how, and charge you nothing.
- If you cannot, we telephone in Japanese, take the booking and send you the confirmation.
- Allergies, coeliac disease, a wheelchair, children. The things a form field cannot carry, said on the phone in advance.
- If your date is full, we look for similar restaurants and suggest them to you.
What to send us
- The restaurant name, or a Google Maps or Tabelog link
- Two or three dates and times that work for you
- How many people, including children
- Allergies, dietary needs, or anything else the restaurant should know
- The name the booking should be under
A seat at a ¥30,000-per-person counter costs ¥1,500 to secure. If we cannot get you in, you pay nothing.
Have a restaurant in mind? Send us the name and your dates. Asking is free.
FAQ
Do I need a Japanese phone number to book omakase in Tokyo?
Some restaurants do not ask for one, others require a Japanese contact number. When YOROZU books for you, the reservation is made with our Japanese number.
How far in advance should I book omakase in Tokyo?
There is no fixed rule. Each restaurant publishes the dates and times it can be booked. Popular restaurants fill up quickly, so book as early as you can.
What does cancelling an omakase reservation cost?
It varies by restaurant. Sushi Masuda charges 30% from 14 days out, 50% from 7 days and 100% from 3 days. Sushi Hashimoto charges 50% the day before and 100% on the day. TableAll charges 50% / 70% / 100% and does not refund its ¥8,000 booking fee.
Can I book omakase in Tokyo without speaking Japanese?
Yes. Restaurants listed on a booking site can be booked in English. Restaurants that are not listed need a phone call in Japanese. Tabelog lists about 900,000 restaurants and offers online reservations at 98,000.
Can I get omakase in Tokyo without a reservation?
Sometimes. Tabelog's app has a last-minute search. Standing sushi bars such as Uogashi Nihonichi in Yurakucho take no reservations at all, so you can simply walk in.
Can I eat omakase with a food allergy or coeliac disease?
Often yes, but the restaurant has to be told before you book. A set course cannot be rearranged on the night. Soy sauce contains wheat, which makes coeliac disease particularly difficult at a sushi counter.