Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka is quite possibly the best sushi train I’ve ever been to. They deliver affordability, quality, and generous servings!
Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka is a sushi train located in Shibuya, Japan’s busiest shopping district. The store is just a 5-minute walk from Shibuya station, offering a wide variety of menu options to suit any budget!
Intuitive ordering screen
Unlike regular sushi trains where the plates are constantly rotating around the conveyor belt, Uobei uses a different approach. All sushi plates are made to order using a touchscreen ordering system.
The great thing about this system is you will always get the sushi you want, rather than hoping for its appearance on a conveyor belt. With an ordering limit of four plates at a time, this system also helps minimize waste and over-ordering.
There is a plethora of sushi dishes to choose from on the menu, including side dishes such as fried chicken, ramen, and desserts. Made for any budget, you can order dishes as high as 500 yen (< 4 USD) or as cheap as 100 yen (< 1 USD)!
Extra-long sushi toppings!
The sushi at Uobei is truly one of a kind, with super-generous serving sizes that fill you up more than regular sushi trains. Rather than just covering the length of the rice ball, Uobei’s raw fish extends far beyond and slides down aesthetically onto the play.
My personal favorite is this fatty “maguro” (tuna sashimi) plate that gives the most generous helping of raw tuna I’ve ever seen on a piece of sushi. Whether you go for a tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, or “tamago” (egg omelet), you will be pleasantly surprised at just how far the topping stretches!
If you’re one of those “no carb” fanatics (you really shouldn’t be at a sushi train then), rest assured there are a variety of rice-less dishes too! You can opt for some delicious karaage (fried) chicken or some plain tuna and salmon sashimi pieces.
Special items
In addition to sashimi options, Uobei offers a range of special items such as this delicious ebi tempura sushi. You can really fill yourself up on this battered prawn sushi piece which extends from one edge of the plate to the other!
In terms of quality, I can attest to the premium standards of this ebi tempura as it’s right up there with some of Japan’s most high-end restaurants. Texture, temperature, and taste are the three Ts of success here, and the extra large quantity is an absolute bonus too!
Some of the other special items at Uobei sushi include sea urchin, cod roe, and half-grilled salmon. These delicacies often cost a fortune in other sushi restaurants, but Uobei offers them for just 200 yen (<1 USD)!
Uobei sushi leaves you satisfied
As you can see from the photo, I have quite the appetite when it comes to sushi, 23 plates worth in fact! While the average customer certainly wouldn’t eat this much, it turned out to be a super-affordable meal even for this mountainous stack of plates.
To give you an idea, my order consisted of 23 plates of sushi (many of which were premium orders), 5 plates of assorted sashimi (no rice), a lemonade drink, and an ice cream bowl for dessert. My total bill came down to approximately 4000 yen which is less than 30 USD!
Considering I ate enough food to feed two people (maybe three), I would say there is plenty of bang for buck at Uobei sushi. Satisfaction is an understatement because this sushi train quite literally changed my mood for the day.
So if you’re feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders or perhaps you’re in search of that light at the end of the tunnel, I implore you to head on down to Uobei sushi. You may not find the answers to your problems here, but you might just permanently forget about them.
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!