“Sushi Ueda” is located on the 1st floor of a building in a quiet town near Motomachi Station in Kobe. Chef Masamichi Ueda makes sushi with the thought of "I want people to feel the life of the local Hyogo land".
Chef Ueda, who is from Awaji Island, started cooking at the age of 16. He was trained at Japanese restaurants and sushi restaurants for 8 years, and gradually became fascinated with sushi. In order to get to know the starting point, he experienced the life of a fisherman for a month. After training at various restaurants, he opened his own sushi restaurant “Sushi Ueda” in November 2018. At that time, the sushi prepared by the stable master, who was only 25 years old, was so popular that he was chosen as "2020 Young Chef of the Year" on one of the world's best gourmet guides.
The decision to open the restaurant in Hyogo, chef Ueda explained that "in addition to being home, Setouchi also has fishing ports on the Sea of Japan side, and is a treasure house full of ingredients. I think that "it can only be done here"". Most ingredients, besides tuna, are carefully purchased from Hyogo Prefecture, such as from Awaji-shima Island, Akashi Strait, Harima-nada Sea, Hamasaka fishing port on the Sea of Japan side and Kasumi port. Aging of fish and shellfish is not considered. "There are professionals all over the place. I want to make dishes that bring out the local scenery and show the face of the producer of each ingredient," he said.
The first sushi is "fresh conger eel" nigiri. "You can say that raw conger eel tastes good as it is. A piece of work that is completed thanks to fishermen and broker who take care of it," chef Ueda said. "Egg from Awaji Island and Onion Chawanmushi" and "Steamed Abalone from Hamasaka Port, Hyogo" are also popular. The abalone is picked by veteran divers, and it arrives either on the day or next after they are caught. The abalone is steamed without any seasonings. You can enjoy the taste of the kelp and seaweed that the abalone ate, as well as the saltiness of the sea water. This is another dish where you can enjoy the teamwork with fishermen.
There are 20 kinds of Japanese sake, including local sake. Chef Ueda, who is also qualified as a Kikisake-Shi (sake taster), makes suggestions based on the food and your preferences. As for wine, there are many natural wines that can be enjoyed by glass, such as those from Austria.
The counter of the local Hyogo "Tajima Hinoki" is eye-catching. The walls are covered with soil from chef Ueda's hometown, Awaji Island, and are designed so that people can enjoy the local atmosphere. The restaurant is also particular about the dinnerware, the sushi table by the creator of Hyogo, Masahiko Ichino, and the glassware by traditional craftsman of Edo Kiriko, Toshio Takizawa. The dishes are decorated with specially ordered plates of “Sushi Ueda”. You can enjoy the counter (8 seats) of “Sushi Ueda” with colleagues, friends and family, or even with oversea guests. You will want to spend a special time relaxing and feeling the wonders of Hyogo with your eyes and tongue.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 5-minute walk from Motomachi Station (JR Tokaido Main Line (Kobe Line) (Osaka - Kobe))
