Sea-Jack Kuru-Kuru Sushi

If you are looking for a quick, tasty and reasonably priced lunch, a good option is Sea Jack (Shii-Jaku) conveyor belt (train) sushi. It is usually called くるくるkuru-kuru or 回転 kaiten (rotating) sushi in Japan and is an entertaining way to have a meal.

Like a number of sushi chains, Sea Jack offers all plates for ¥105, but in my opinion it is definitely one of the better places to go for super cheap sushi. Obviously at this price it is not connoisseur sushi, but we definitely enjoyed everything we ordered and left feeling nice and full, and it cost under ¥1000 each. To keep the price down a “sushi robot” machine is used to press the rice into patties which are then topped with raw fish.

Seating is either counter style, right at the conveyor belt or in booths- either way you can select your sushi straight from the belt. You can also order directly from the staff, they have a good picture menu and were very helpful. The advantage of ordering from the staff is that it ensures your plate of sushi is freshly made (a potential problem in the quieter times.) You can also order without wasabi if you wish (just say wasabi nuki)

We enjoyed various kinds of sushi but a few types of fish (including maguro-tuna and toro-fatty tuna) are priced higher at ¥210 per plate (2 pieces). However, the majority of plates are ¥105.

We ate salmon topped with thinly sliced onion and mayonnaise, California roll, nigiri sushi topped with freshly cooked tempura prawns, a great one for the vegetarians – baked eggplant sushi with a tasty miso sauce and grilled Unagi eel- a summer favorite.

They have a drinks menu (beer ¥550) and there is hot water on tap, so you can make yourself a green tea if you wish, just help yourself to a cup and shake in some green tea powder!

It’s a great place to take children as they are entertained by the rotating foods. At Sea Jack they do a Kids plate of two pieces of sushi, jelly and a toy to take home. Other side dishes include kara-age fried chicken, fries, udon noodles, fruit, salad and soup.

The most central Seajack branch is in Takeya-cho in Minami-ku (near the Hiroden bowling arcade) and there is one more in Itsukaichi.

• • All non-smoking seating
  • Take-away is available, you can order ahead by telephone (Japanese only) or if you become a member you can order online: www.marinepolis.co.jp (again Japanese language only)
  • Parking available

Opening hours:11:00-22:00 everyday