Where to find the best sushi joints in Tokyo, according to top sushi chef Kenjiro Hashida

The stereotypical sushi chef is someone who is rigid and austere, pretty much in the mould of chef Jiro Ono, whose artistry was chronicled in the hit documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Chef Kenjiro Hashida, who goes by the nickname “Hatch” (@topdoghatch on Instagram), is pretty much the opposite. He jokes and laughs when behind the sushi counter at Hashida Singapore, his acclaimed restaurant in Amoy Street. And when he’s not cooking, the Krug Ambassador chef is known for his flamboyant fashion sense and jovial approach to life in general.

But that shouldn’t detract from how serious he is about his craft. Chef Hashida is a second generation sushi chef who was trained by his father, a master sushi chef in Tokyo. He takes this solid foundation and builds from it in his own restaurant where he serves his signature toro roll—expertly sliced paper-thin pieces of fatty tuna wrapped around delicate rice. It’s a flavour bomb and that alone is worth going to his restaurant. 

Chef Hashida respects tradition but also prizes evolution, which is also seen in his approach in reconstructing his family’s restaurant in Tokyo, which re-opened a year ago. Located in Kachidoki, a district near Ginza, Hashida Tokyo is a fresh take on a sushi restaurant that honours its past. When they tore down the original venue, they saved certain pieces of wood and decor and included them in the creation of Hashida Tokyo. It’s not as much as a new establishment, but a new chapter

The unassuming entrance opens to reveal three floors: a sushi restaurant on the ground floor where they do omakase and amazing lunch deals; a dessert bar on the second floor where they serve Japanese sweets and exquisite tea; and a stylish private room on the third floor. 

As expected, the restaurant is a family affair: his sister manages the front of house while chef Hashida splits his time between the two restaurants in Singapore and Tokyo. Apart from securing a table at Hashida Tokyo, he opens his black book of his favourite sushi places in the city where you’re guaranteed not just food but a cultural experience like no other.