Following in last year's footsteps, this year young sushi chefs who have studied long and hard at famous restaurants are opening their own restaurants, grabbing the attention of foodies around the world.
This article will introduce a selection of carefully-chosen sushi restaurants for you, our discerning TokyoTableTrip readers.
If one of these restaurants catches your eye, be sure to stop by soon before reservations all fill up!

This sushi restaurant was opened in the suburbs of Shibuya by the talented Chef Endo, who trained at "Sushi Saito."
As the omakase course begins, "dashi" is served, followed by unagi nigiri, which is a rare sight in Edo-mae sushi. This is classic for the "theoretical sushi chef" Endo, whose unique ideas are always a treat.
The sushi rice here has a sharp taste, made by combining Koshihikari rice with Fuji vinegar.
We would be surprised if the reservations here didn't soon fill up to over 6 months in advance.
If you're looking to try Chef Endo's sushi, which is predicted to become a leader in Tokyo's future sushi scene, be sure to make your reservation sooner rather than later!

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Shirayama, a young restaurateur in his late 20s who taught himself how to properly cure and age fish.
Here at "Yorozu," the fish is aged to bring out the absolute best of its natural flavors and beautiful textures without masking them - shima-aji is aged for 38 days, kohada for 15, madai for 18, and so on.
The omakase course served by Chef Shirayama, who has taken up the mantle as the next "magician of aged fish" after Chef Kimura of "Kimura" and Chef Fujinaga of "Sushi Fujinaga," costs 23,000 yen.
This sort of "curveball" sushi that breaks from the norms makes for a great follow-up after enjoying traditional Edo-mae sushi.

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Mitsubashi, who spent 22 years training at the now-closed famous restaurant "Shintomi Sushi."
From the constant hours to the focus on nigiri, from an appreciation for guest preferences to the simple side dishes, the various ways that Mitomi captures the essence of traditional Edo-mae sushi in its style captures the hearts of Edo-mae sushi fans.
Brought over as classics from "Shintomi Sushi" to Mitomi are its stuffed squid, saba, kohada, and anago, all of which are must-try items for die-hard sushi fans.
Another unique plus to Mitomi is being able to stop in during your sightseeing in Ginza, enjoy 5-6 pieces of sushi while taking a quick break, then get back out into the city.

This sushi restaurant was opened by the talented Chef Sugaya, who spent 22 years training at famous restaurants like "Sushi Shin," "Sushi Kuon," and "Sushi Arai."
Chef Sugaya is skilled in cooking, but Sushi Sugaya shows off his style by not offering side dishes, only nigiri sushi!
The sushi rice here is made with a blend of two types of red vinegar, resulting in a strong flavor with no sweetness.
The consistent and beautiful nigiri made by Chef Sugaya seem to reflect his character, and as a result sushi fans began to flock to him immediately. Supposedly less than half a year from the restaurant's opening, reservations had to be made several months out in advance.

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Sato, who spent 15 years training at the famous restaurant "Sushi Shin."
Chef Sato's sushi is characterized by its large portion of sushi rice, which is heavily seasoned with red vinegar, and he's already garnered heavy support from the faction of sushi fans who place extreme importance on nigiri sushi.
The lunch omakase course comes with 12 pieces of nigiri sushi for 6,000 yen, an excellent value.
If you're looking for the same kind of "old-fashioned delicious nigiri sushi" that you'd find at "Shinbashi Shimizu," the peak of Edo-mae sushi, this is a must-try location.

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Kato, who was part of the popular restaurant "Kioicho Mitani."
"Mitani" is known for its pairing of rare sake and wines with uniquely-prepared seafood like uni, crab, and ankimo, and that tradition, particularly that of alcohol pairings, is alive and well here at "Kato."
You can enjoy an omakase course here (which includes pairings) of the same quality as that at "Kioicho Mitani" for around 30,000 yen, making it a hot topic among many foodies.
The restaurant's new original dishes made by Chef Kato, such as "firefly squid yaki-onigiri," are all fun and interesting.
If the strict Edo-mae sushi scene isn't what you're looking for, this is absolutely a restaurant you should stop by!

This newly-opened sushi restaurant is a branch of the popular "Rinda." Behind the counter is the young Chef Shimazu, only 20 years old, who trained at "Sushi Arai."
The omakase course here is priced generously at just 8,000 yen while offering sushi comparable to that at "Rinda." As a result, Ranmaru is becoming quite popular among younger sushi fans in Tokyo as one of the sushi restaurants with the best cost performance.
Here high-quality toppings are paired with sushi rice that has been seasoned with just the right amount of red vinegar.
If you stop by, be sure to try their "Ranmaru-maki," a roll filled with maguro, chu-toro, ootoro, pickled daikon, and chives, then topped with plenty of ikura!

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Miura, who spent 13 years at the famous Kyoto restaurant "Kikunoi" and 1 year at one of Tokyo's leading most popular sushi restaurants, "Namba."
Sushi Miura already has built itself a great reputation based on its side dishes thanks to its chef's experience working with Japanese food.
If Chef Miura is able to even further elevate the style of sushi he made at Namba, soon this restaurant will be so popular that reservations will be hard to come by.
Combining the omakase course with sake pairings comes out to around 20,000 yen, a great deal for the quality.
If you're interested in visiting, you absolutely should stop by sooner rather than later.

This sushi restaurant was opened by Chef Takagaki, who has trained at "Sushi Mizutani" and "Shinbashi Shimizu," some of the best Edo-mae sushi restaurants around.
The secret to the punch behind the sushi rice here, which combines 2 types of red vinegar, is from the chef's time at "Shimizu."
There are high hopes for the future of Chef Takagaki's sushi, combining traditional Edo-mae toppings like shellfish, kohada, hamaguri, and anago with the restaurant's sushi rice.
The lunchtime omakase course requires an advance reservation, but it's priced amazingly at just 7,000 yen.
Be sure to stop by for lunch and enjoy the fruits of this talented young chef's work!

This hot sushi restaurant was opened in February of 2018 by Hiroyuki Sato, the former feature chef of "Sushi Tokami."
Customers from around the world have come to Hakkoku in search of sushi made by world-famous chefs.
The unique course meal here begins with a hand roll (temaki-zushi) made with meat from the base of the bluefin tuna's head, something that he came up with during his time at "Tokami," and the iconic deep brown and very tart sushi rice made with plenty of red vinegar is present here at "Hakkoku" as well.
If you're looking to taste some of the most cutting-edge sushi in Tokyo, the striking omakase course here at that includes over 30 pieces of nigiri made with the finest of ingredients is a must-try.

This hot sushi restaurant is the newly opened relocation of super-popular sushi restaurant "Sushi Namba" in Tokyo's Asagaya to a new location in "Hibiya Midtown."
"Sushi Namba" gained popularity due to its reasonable prices for plenty of delicious side dishes and nigiri, but since moving to Hibiya it has been shifting its focus to high quality ingredients and nigiri sushi. Supposedly the owner's intent is to become a contender for the top sushi restaurant in Tokyo, often dominated by restaurants in Ginza.
If you're a foodie who has an affinity for sushi, you'll absolutely want to try the nigiri served by this next generation of "Namba," where the rice and fish are carefully kept to precise temperatures.
(Incidentally, the original location in Asagaya has been taken over by the number one assistant chef, and it is still operating under the name "Sushi Namba.")

◆Sushi Namba Midtown Hibiya
Address: 3F Tokyo Midtown Hibiya 1-1-2 Hibiya, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6273-3334
Hours:12:00-15:00/19:00-23:00
Closed: Mondays, 1st Tuesday of the month
Credit cards accepted

This freshly-opened new restaurant was produced by "Sushi Saito," Japan's most popular sushi restaurant.
While saying it was "produced" by Saito may sound odd, but both the ingredients used and the chefs at Sushi Tsubomi are from "Sushi Saito," so you can easily enjoy high-quality sushi that's very similar to that served at the Michelin 3-star restaurant. (Incidentally, the current chef at Sushi Tsubomi is Makoto Maruyama, who served as the head of "Sushi Saito Kuala Lumpur.")
The well-shaped nigiri here at Sushi Tsubomi beautifully resemble those made by Takashi Saito, known as Japan's best sushi chef to some.
Like "Sushi Saito" in Roppongi and "Sushi Saito Bekkan" (another location of Sushi Saito in Roppongi) run by Chef Hashiba, it's only a matter of time until it will be hard to get reservations at Sushi Tsubomi.

This sushi restaurant, opened by a chef who has worked at famous restaurants "Kyubey" and "Nakajyo," has become a super hot topic.
While Sakita is tucked away in a suburban residential area, it's packed daily with die-hard sushi fans who have heard about its offerings.
The dinner omakase course made by the owner, who used to work as a broker at Tsukiji Market, is overflowing with delicious pieces for just 15,000 yen.
Listening to the chef, known to some as the "fish professor," talk about his extensive knowledge while enjoying sushi made with high-quality ingredients like white horsehead, bluefin tuna, and Yezo abalone is truly one of life's pleasures.
If you're looking for delicious sushi at a reasonable price, don't let the travel away from the city center stop you from visiting Sakita at least once!

This sushi restaurant was opened by a chef who for a long time served as the right-hand-man of Chef Jiro Ono at "Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi Store."
There are two types of dinner courses available: "Nigiri only" for 20,000 yen, and "sides+nigiri" for 25,000 yen.
The flavor of the sushi rice, perfectly tart from the rice vinegar used, is truly a worthy successor to "Jiro."
Of course, tuna and abalone are served, but it's also a delight to find delicious renditions of traditional Edo-mae staples like gizzard shad, giant clam, clam, and anago here as well.
Currently the owner wishes to continue to faithfully recreate similar sushi as he did at "Jiro," but he has stated that, in the future, he wishes to gradually branch out and add some of his own originality.
This is an excellent restaurant to visit if you wish to try Jiro-styled sushi.

This newly-opened sushi restaurant is owned by a chef who came from "Tokami," a Michelin one-star restaurant in Ginza that is even popular with overseas tourists.
The lunch course, which begins with Tokami's signature hand roll (temaki-zushi) made with meat from the base of the bluefin tuna's head, is a bargain with 15 nigiri for just 12,000 yen.
The brown sushi rice, seasoned and colored with red vinegar, may look strong, but actually has a gentle and mild flavor, the perfect complement to the bluefin tuna purchased from "Yamayuki" at Tsukiji.
Another plus to Kizaki is that, unlike most sushi restaurants, you can bring your children along with you (however, this is available only on Sundays).
This is absolutely a restaurant to keep your eye on in Tokyo, where new restaurants are constantly opening and competition runs fierce as the world's #1 sushi hotspot, thanks to its unique position to draw attention in.

This sushi restaurant was opened in December of 2017 in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo's premier gourmet area, by a chef who has worked at popular Ginza restaurant "Sushi Ryusuke" and Hawaii restaurant "Onodera."
Their lunch and dinner options consist exclusively of a 20,000 yen omakase course.
The side dishes crafted by the 34-year-old chef, who has experience working in traditional Japanese restaurants, are exquisite, and it's easy to get lost in sampling the selection of over 30 different types of sake.
The sushi rice here has a sharp flavor, seasoned with very little sugar and taking a strong amount of tartness from the vinegar, and it pairs beautifully with the quality fish from Tsukiji Market's "Yamayuki."
Another plus is that the owner can speak English thanks to his experience in restaurant service, so foreign customers can visit worry-free and enjoy the experience.

After working at "Sushi Saito" for 2 years and "Sushi Kanesaka" for 10 years, chef Jun Takeuchi quietly opened their own restaurant in Daikanyama, Tokyo's leading chic area.
Thanks to his training at some of Japan's most famous restaurants, Chef Takeuchi's sushi approaches perfection.
The red vinegar sushi rice, which brings out the best in each piece of fish, falls apart in your mouth. We recommend that you try the 8000-yen lunch course.
This course comes with around 5 side dishes and 12 pieces of nigiri sushi made with high-quality toppings.
Takeuchi has gotten some harsh reviews from sushi fans, like "I didn't find any unique points to his sushi," but we were satisfied with being able to eat our fill of great sushi for just 10000 yen.
This is a great restaurant to recommend to those who want to eat delicious sushi in Shibuya. (The dinner omakase course runs around 25000 yen with drinks. This restaurant is probably best for lunches.)

Chef Takeshi Owana opened this new restaurant in 2017 after training at famous restaurant "Sushi Sho" for over 10 years.
Apparently Chef Owana is also a senior apprentice to Chef Yuichi Arai of Ginza's famous "Sushi Arai."
As expected, the sushi here, which dutifully follows the "Sushi Sho" style of preparation, is delicious.
It's also easily accessible, just 3 minutes by train from Shibuya, and it's already become so popular that reservations are booked up to a month in advance.
This restaurant is part of the "Sushi Sho" group, a quickly-expanding set of restaurants now with almost 20 locations around Tokyo.
We'll see what original spins the young Chef Owana, who needs to stand out among his numerous fellow apprentices, puts on his sushi in the future.

This restaurant was opened in 2017 by Chef Keita Aoyama, who honed his skills at Hokkaido's "Sushi Wakichi" and Ginza's "Sushi Mizutani" and "Sushi Daichi."
As expected from a new restaurant opened by a potential superstar chef who studied at incredibly popular locations, Sushi Keita has gotten lots of attention from sushi fans as soon as it opened.
Sushi Keita's food is characterized by the sour flavor of its sushi rice, made with red vinegar in the style of "Sushi Daichi" where Chef Aoyama trained.
The impactful flavor of the sushi rice, cooked al dente, combined with tuna and mackerel, fat-rich from the winter, is absolutely superb.
(Those who like the sushi from "Shinbashi Shimizu" and "Sushi Tokami" are sure to love the sushi here.)
Lunch, which is available only on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, comes with 18 pieces of sushi for just 10,500 yen, which is a great value!
There are apparently plenty of fans of the restaurant saying things like, "There's finally a restaurant at Tsukiji where I can have some really great sushi!"
We highly recommend visiting soon if you're interested.