stevenshev

Ohayou gozaimasu, everyone,

I have about 12 hours in Osaka at the end of the week, and just wanted to clarify a few points.

I land Kansai at around 4pm and am staying at the RC. What is the absolute fastest way to go? I'm leaning towards the superfast train + cab combination, is there anything else that should be considered?

The next morning I need to be at Itami for an 8.30am flight. I don't do buses, and I don't mind paying for a cab, but am really most interested in the fastest (or at least wisest) way to get from the RC to ITM.

Lastly, if I'm in Japan, I want sushi. Mind blowing sushi. The kind of sushi that will make me want to sepuku to avoid spending the rest of my life searching for a comparable meal. Where should I go? Preferably somwhere I can go in jeans, not in a suit, but let me know if this is impractical. It should be noted that if the very very best place will run me $500 and an only-a-tiny-bit-worse place will run me $100, I'd rather save the cash. But I rely on your sage advice to guide me.

Domo.

SJUAMMF

The Mei Getsu Gi in Kawanishi is such a place. A bit of a hike to get there from downtown but a memorable place with a great view.

http://www.meigetsu-hgc.co.jp/omo.html

Sushi in Japan is a rather casual food and mainly a filler in case you are still hungry at the end of dinner or for lunch.

"Sushi isn't the only Japanese food and I don't often sit on tatami to eat sushi."

Taxi ride downtown to ITM in early morning before 7AM should be pretty easy, 30 minutes at the tops.

LapLap

Sorry I can't contribute, stevenshev, I'm not that familiar with Osaka.

?!?!?!?!

This opinion is not shared be everyone.

Sushi CAN be a casual food.

But this is like saying:

"Tuna in Europe is a rather casual food and mainly a filler in case you are hungry and don't feel like cooking your dinner or lunch."

Someone who is setting out to eat some of Europe's finest tuna would have little interest in that which comes from a 1 Euro can.

There's a world of difference between sushi and GOOD sushi, the OP knows it, and so do the majority of Japanese people. For many households, ordering in a sushi delivery is still a way to mark a special occasion.

----
Just looked into this (I love delving through Japanese food sites!). Here is where I might pick if i was in your happy situation.

Shop is blogged about here, webpage has stunning photos: http://blog.livedoor.jp/osakanohonnm.../51154249.html
Shop name is 鮨 さえ喜 （すし さえき - Sushi Saeki)
Address 大阪府大阪市北区曾根崎新地1-5-7 森ビル　１Ｆ - Sonezakeshinchi 1-5-7, Mori Building 1F
MAP
06-6345-7344 (open from 6pm til late)
Price is indicated as being between ￥15,000 and ￥20,000 (the blogger paid ￥15,000)


Sushi Sakae is quite a new restaurant and the blogger says it's an offshoot of Noguchi, a very popular sushi ya in the same neighbourhood (so popular it may require reservations)
Address and details for Noguchi here http://r.tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270101/27004965/
In this link you can see that the makisushi piece made of sesame seasoned rice with mackerel rolled in a kombu type seaweed is sold in both places.
The same blogger (Osakanohonma) has an even better review for Noguchi here:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/osakanohonnm.../51254681.html
Price is also indicated as being between the ￥15,000yen and ￥20,000 bracket
More pictures of Noguchi 'fillers' can be found on this page, scroll down a little and you'll see 1 2 3 4 5, each of which can be clicked on for more photos.

The cost of GOOD sushi doesn't seem to soar as high in Osaka as it does in Tokyo. One of the city's most expensive places appears to be
多田 （ただ）Tada
Price is indicated as being between ￥20,000 and ￥30,000
Reviews for this place are consistently good also.
Map and phone here http://r.tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270101/27003367/
Address: Sonazakeshinchi 1-5-26 永楽 (Nagaraku?) Linden Building ４Ｆ
And here's another blog detailing their experience at Tada: http://sgourmet.blog94.fc2.com/blog-entry-75.html
The blogger paid around ￥20,000, and interestingly referred to Osakanohonma's (the previous blogger) account of the same restaurant:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/osakanohonnm.../51176242.html
Oops!
It's THIS review that was referred to.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/osakanohonnm.../50888672.html (expect to pay at least ￥15,000)
Osakanohonma seems to REALLY rate this restaurant (from what I can tell using a translation tool, it seems to be considered the best place for sushi in Osaka)
Only nine places, so assistance from the RC concierge will probably be needed to secure a booking, and the sooner the better. Some rather exotic ingredients are used here, learn how to say "I don't eat whale meat" if you'd prefer to avoid it.
Apart from what I've written here, only mention of the place in English on the internet seems to be this one. Gratifyingly, it echoes what I've learned.

All three restaurants are within easy walking distance of the RC.
Personally, I'd contact the RC before arrival and request that they make a booking at Noguchi, but Tada looks really good too!

It would be fantastic if you could report back with your choice and opinion.

EDIT TO ADD - another option here:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/osakanohonnm.../51459501.html
広川 - Hirokawa (price of meal shown was 10,000yen)

ksandness

Assuming that RC stands for Ritz-Carlton, it's loocated near Umeda Station, which is Osaka's main station. I THINK that some JR express trains (the informatio I can get on the web) stop at Osaka-Umeda, but all stop at Tennoji, which is part of the Osaka Kanjo Line (the equivalent of the Yamanote).

There you have the option of a cab, or, if you don't have a lot of luggage, a transfer to a local train to Umeda. That would be the fastest option, since the locals run every few minutes. However, if it's rush hour (I'm unfamiliar with the rush hour in Osaka), a cab from Tennoji to Umeda wouldn't cost so much.

Pickles

I take it you haven't had much experience with sushi. "Filler" is the last word that comes to mind to the legions of sushi fanatics in Japan and elsewhere that would rather behead themselves in slow motion than consider sushi a "filler".

Pickles

Those photographs are pure food porno. I'm aroused just looking at the pictures.

railroadtycoon

On the train side of things, the JR Rapid trains stop at Osaka Station, but the Haruka Limited Express (the fastest train) skips Osaka and goes to Shin-Osaka.

From Shin-Osaka the OP can choose either to take a regular train one stop to Osaka Station and walk to the Ritz or take a cab from the Ritz.

I'm not sure what the OP has against buses (at least in Japan, they usually aren't your dinky airport shuttle vans/buses found in other cities), but from the Osaka airport limousine bus stops around Umeda/Osaka Station to Itami by airport limousine bus is pretty efficient comfortable and fast 30 minutes or so costing only 620yen.

SJUAMMF

Just from the stand point of going to a place and spend $100-$500. At a nice dinner, when had suchi come before sashimi?

LapLap

Could you explain what it is you're asking. I don't understand the question at all.

Pickles

If you are talking about a kaiseki dinner, yes sashimi will come before sushi, but you'll get a couple of pieces of each, as part of a multi-course meal. If I go to a sushi bar, I'm there to eat sushi (or sashimi, or both). It is not a "filler", it is the meal. Sometimes I'll have sashimi and then sushi (and not the other way around), but the main attraction is the sushi. Sometimes I'll have just sashimi, most of the times just sushi. Mrs. Pickles usually only eats sashimi, since she likes to take small bites of her sushi and that's a no-no in fine establishments.

Otherwise I don't get your question.

jib71

Nonsense. What comes first is more important!

Hors d'oeuvres are the most important parts of the meal. The entrees are next. Any rice dish is just a filler. And dessert? Since it follows all of the "filler" courses, it barely qualifies as food. I usually just smear it on my face.

SJUAMMF

Sure, and I would consider sushi bar a casual dinner and not a formal one. Certainly I wouldn't pay Y50,000 for a sushi dinner.

Formal dinners don't have to be kaiseki but will involve many courses anyway. The last item at a formal meal whether a bowl of soba, kamameshi, ochatsuke, or a plate of sushi would be a filler, sometimes called the main dish.

What I really wanted to said to OP is that Japanese food is much more beyond sushi. Sushi is very popular outside of Japan yes. But there are much more things to try while in Japan.

On the topic of good sushi restaurants, the great ones are not only serving great sushi, but the chef would recognize that I am a lefty and place my sushi for my hashi. Same goes for great tempura restaurants. I have yet to get this level of service at Japanese restaurants outside of Japan.

SJUAMMF

Actually, LapLap, I am totally confused. You seem so expert in browsing these Japanese blogs.

While you had posted here that you don't read Japanese and asked for translation in others.

Then you don't understand what seemingly plain English (save bad spelling).

How do you know what the blogger said about Mr. Tada's food to give your recommendation other than looking at the pictures?

If you are confused about something more familiar, how can you be so assertive about something vague?

Pickles

I don't think I would pay 50,000 for dinner anywhere, actually. I don't think I have, but if there was enough alcohol involved, I may have, just don't remember.

In that respect, yes sushi is a more "casual" affair than a kappo dinner or some fancy settai at a ryotei, but it doesn't diminish it to being "filler". Ochazuke is filler, kamameshi is filler, zosui is filler, takenoko gohan is filler. Sushi isn't filler.

Sure, there is plenty beyond sushi in Japan, but if you want to try the best sushi out there, Japan is the place for it. And, sushi is also very popular in Japan, not just outside. You say it yourself: "I have yet to get this level of service in Japanese restaurants outside of Japan". The same applies to the taste and quality for Japanese food in general, and specifically for sushi.

Personally, if I had one last meal in Japan, I would go for sushi, not any of the many other wonderful cuisines available here. Last on my list would probably a very formal kaiseki dinner. Although I enjoy it, I don't get as much pleasure out of it as I do from a high-end sushi pigout.

LapLap

I ask for assistance only when I require it. There are some wonderful translation tools out there and, generally I can find the information I need. When I can't I ask for help.
Although you believe your question used 'seemingly' plain English I couldn't figure out what it is you meant by it. So I asked.
It appears I wasn't alone:
I'm wondering if your experience of high end sushi is limited to what you've received in high end non-sushi meals.

I've eaten my fare share of mega buck gala dinners where a few sushi pieces were included in the array of dishes. No matter how good the meals, the sushi was never up to scratch in any of them. It wasn't 'bad', but it certainly wasn't up there in terms of what a decent sushi ya will provide.
Not so long ago, after 9 days eating on corporate expense accounts I ended up being convinced I just didn't like sushi anymore. Then, in one evening, my father-in-law set me right again. I adore GOOD sushi!