Japanese Fast Food: Conveyor-Belt Sushi
Kyoto, Japan
They don’t call it a “conveyor belt” in Japan; it’s a “revolving sushi bar.” We probably wouldn’t have tried this restaurant if our tour guide in Kyoto hadn’t dropped us there, but Kura Sushi ended up being a fun experience.
It was stressful until we got the hang of it. There were two levels. The revolving belt on the bottom moved slowly, and had regularly spaced dishes. We didn’t know how much each plate cost, how we would be charged, or what to do with the empty plates. Were we free to pick up any plate? After finding the English version of the menu on the digital tablet at the table and speaking to an attendant who stopped by, we finally got into the swing of it. We could pick up any item we wanted from the lower belt. You could pop open the domed cover and take out the plate as it moved by.
The top belt zipped by, too fast to grab. We could order specific items from the tablet and they would be delivered by the fast belt, which stopped at our table so we could pick up the item. We immediately started calling the top belt the “bullet train.” When we finished with a plate, we dropped it into a hole in the table, where the plates would be counted so we could be billed. Pretty soon, we were pulling plates off at a dizzying pace. “That looks good, get one of those for me.” “How is it? I’ll try it.” “I don’t know what this is, but it’s good.”
In total, we spent about $50 for 32 plates for the five of us, and we were fully satisfied. Kura Sushi is a popular chain in Japan, with 540 locations. There are 20 in Kyoto alone. They’ve expanded internationally and currently have 73 locations in the U.S. When I lived in Frisco, Texas, I passed one almost every day. I was curious about it, but never stopped in. With U.S. prices of $3-5 per plate, it would cost nearly triple the price we paid in Kyoto.
When I visited Japan nine years ago, I started craving vegetables. After 10 days, all I wanted was a big ole’ plate of American steamed broccoli or buttered corn on the cob or grilled squash. Maybe this time I knew what to expect and was better prepared. Or maybe staying at my brother’s house and eating American-style breakfasts helped to offset the fish and miso soup and seaweed. Regardless, we had amazing meals during our two weeks and I wasn’t missing American food. Two months later, I find myself craving Japanese dishes. Maybe I’ll look for one of the Kura Sushi places in Houston. On the other hand, airfare to Tokyo is still looking pretty good these days!
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Tips & Recommendations
If you love fish and seafood, you will be in heaven in Japan. If you don’t, you may still enjoy tempura (deep fried seafood, meat, or veggies), various types of noodles (e.g ramen, udon, and soba) or grilled foods (yakitori, teppanyaki, etc.). My brother-in-law wasn’t a big sushi eater before visiting Japan, but he thoroughly enjoyed the food.
Many Japanese restaurants have accurate displays of the dishes they serve at the entrance, and helpful photos in the menus. It’s easy to point to order.
Meals are often served in multiple small dishes; however, one of my favorite meals was a giant, stacked dish of layered cabbage, eggs, and other ingredients. My last meal in Japan was Hiroshima-yaki (okonomiyaki). I had it for lunch at the Haneda airport in Tokyo at the restaurant Machiya. It’s a savory Japanese pancake that originated in the mid-1950s. Ingredients are layered on top of a thin batter and cooked on an iron griddle. The dish is finished with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, aonori (seaweed powder), and bonito flakes. Delish!
If you are served a bunch of plates and bowls and aren’t sure how to proceed, don’t be afraid to ask. In Shin-Okubo (Korearown) in Tokyo, dish after dish of amazing food was laid out on the table. Our Japanese friends jumped up to help serve and showed us which sauces went with which dishes and guided us through the meal. Their help made the meal much more enjoyable.
The photo gallery below is just a sampling of some of the food we ate.
