From the counter
What Is Omakase?
The word means “I leave it up to you.” That is the whole of it. But it does not explain what the next two hours look like, and that is usually what people want to know before they book. Here is the plain answer, from a nine-seat counter in Tokyo.
The word
Omakase (お任せ) comes from makaseru, to entrust. Said at a sushi counter, it means you are not ordering. The chef buys what is best that morning and decides the order it is served in.
It is worth saying what omakase is not. It is not a fixed tasting menu printed in advance — if it were printed, it would not be omakase. It is not automatically expensive; in Tokyo it runs from a few thousand yen to well past fifty thousand. And it is not a test. Nobody is watching to see whether you do it correctly.
What actually happens
An Edomae omakase usually moves in three stages. The shape stays the same even though the fish does not.
- A twenty-course example
- Small dishes — three or so. Sashimi, something steamed, something grilled. This is where seasonal ingredients that do not suit nigiri appear.
- Nigiri — around fifteen pieces, served one at a time, each put down in front of you as it is made. Squid, white fish, silver-skinned fish, shellfish, tuna, prawn, roe, sea urchin, sea eel, then the egg omelette and a roll.
- Soup and something sweet — a clear soup to finish, then a small dessert.
The whole thing takes about two hours. Pieces arrive one at a time because nigiri is built to be eaten within a minute of being made — the rice is still faintly warm, the nori still crisp. A plate of ten pieces delivered at once is a different dish.
How to eat it
Almost everything you have read about sushi rules is optional. Three things genuinely matter.
- Eat it soon. Within a minute. This is the only real rule, and the one that changes how the food tastes.
- Fingers are fine. So are chopsticks. Nigiri was street food; it was designed for hands.
- Usually it is already seasoned. At most counters the chef brushes on soy sauce and adds the wasabi, so nothing needs dipping. If soy sauce is set out for you, turn the piece and touch the fish to it, not the rice — rice falls apart.
Ginger between pieces, not on them. Eat the piece in one go if you can; it is made as one mouthful. If you cannot, nobody minds.
- Say what you cannot eat, at the start
- Allergies, dislikes, raw fish, shellfish, alcohol used in cooking. Most chefs can rearrange a course if they know early. Once the fish is cut, it is harder.
Talking to the chef
At a small counter the chef stands in front of you for two hours, so some conversation is natural. It is not required. Many Japanese guests eat quietly, and that is normal too.
If you want to say something, the most useful things are not compliments. They are: “what is this?”, “a little more wasabi, please”, and — at the end — “is there anything else?”. Most counters will make extra pieces after the course if the fish is still there.
Questions people ask
Does omakase mean the chef chooses, or that it is expensive?
Only the first. The price has nothing to do with the word. A neighbourhood shop serving an eight-piece omakase for ¥3,000 is using the term exactly as correctly as a counter charging ¥50,000.
Can I ask for something I like?
Yes, usually after the course rather than during it. The sequence is built deliberately — lighter fish first, richer later — so changing the order mid-course works against it.
Is tipping expected?
No. Tipping is not customary in Japan and is often politely refused.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
Not necessarily, but many small counters have no English-speaking staff. Look for a shop that says it has an English menu, or book through a site that takes reservations in English.
How long does omakase take?
About two hours for a full course. Budget more time than you think; the pace is set by the chef, not by you.
Read next
- What Is Edomae Sushi?The preparation work behind the counter, and why so little of it is raw.
- Eating Sushi in Tokyo: What to Know Before You BookReservations, payment, timing and finding the door.