Private Omakase Sushi Dinner in Ginza

Omakase means that you leave the meal to the chef. There is no menu to read: the order, the cuts and the fish of the day are the chef's decision. In most good sushi counters that means sitting among strangers, speaking quietly and knowing which manners are expected. This dinner takes both pressures away. The room in Takaracho, a short walk from Ginza, is reserved for your group alone, so you can ask questions, take photographs and eat at the speed you like.

The course runs to around twelve pieces of sushi built from whatever is in season that day. You can tell the host in advance which flavours you enjoy, and you should mention allergies or dietary needs at the same time; the menu is adapted where the kitchen can manage it. A drink is part of the price. An English-speaking chef and host sits with you through the meal and talks about the fish, the rice and the habits of a sushi counter. The listing describes it as relaxed conversation rather than a lecture, and says you do not need to worry about formal sushi etiquette.

If you would like to try the craft, the host shows you the basics and helps you shape a piece of your own. It is optional, and it changes the evening from watching to doing. Families with children are welcome, and because nobody else is in the room there is no other table to disturb.

Ginza is Tokyo's long-established district for department stores, galleries and serious restaurants, and a private sushi room fits that reputation without the formality of a famous counter. The experience is run by Edge Commons LLC and booked through GetYourGuide. It lasts two hours and does not include transport to the venue, so plan your arrival from your hotel. Gratuities are not part of the price.

Ginza takes its name from the silver mint (gin-za) that the shogunate set up there in 1612, and the district has been tied to shopping and eating well ever since. Takaracho, where this room is, sits just beside it, which is why the listing calls the venue a short walk from Ginza. The Ginza, Marunouchi and Hibiya subway lines all stop at Ginza station, so most hotels in central Tokyo are a single train away. Sushi rewards a clear head and an empty stomach, so a light lunch is a sensible plan. Tell the host about any ingredient you dislike when you book rather than at the table, since the course is prepared around the day's ingredients.

It suits couples and small groups who want a careful sushi meal and a chance to ask the questions they would hesitate to ask at a crowded counter. If you want a longer evening with drinks and a second venue, the Ginza sake and geisha bar evening on this site is the better match. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start is shown on the booking page.