Nobody expects food at an airport food court to hit any great heights. But any self-professed fan of sushi spying a standing sushi bar at Narita International Airport is likely to have their curiosity aroused. A standing sushi bar in Terminal 3, the budget carrier terminal?

Walk into Tatsu Sushi in the second floor food court of Terminal 3 and you are likely to find a bit of old fashioned pride emanating from behind the counter. Besides the fact that their sushi tastes nice and is fairly priced, the crew at Tatsu Sushi pride themselves on their red rice. You see, red rice is actually just as traditional, if not more so, than the more widely known white rice. The akazu red vinegar used to season and prepare this rice results in a darker colour than usual and a flavour that is slightly sweet.

This red rice well complements the toppings prepared here, giving the sushi a distinctive character. If this is your first time eating red rice sushi, don't be surprised if you are taken aback for a moment after your first piece. Tatsu Sushi offers stand-in dining, takeaway as well as a la carte or sets. Bear in mind that the red rice sushi is reserved for customers eating in; takeaway customers make do with the usual white rice.

A la carte pieces start from about JPY250 per piece while the 10-piece Nigiri Miyako serving will set you back JPY2500. Chirashi seafood-on-rice bowls go for JPY1500 and you can also order sashimi and appetisers as well as drinks. If you'd like to be pleasantly surprised with your last (or first) meal in Japan, Tatsu Sushi may just be the place for you.
 

Getting there

Narita International Airport's Terminal 3 is about an eight-minute walk from Terminal 2. A free shuttle bus is also available and takes about five minutes. Tatsu Sushi is located in the second floor food court.


By Sleiman Azizi