Originally Posted by
JayhawkCO
Figured I could bump this thread. I have an 11 hour layover in Tokyo flying into HND and out of NRT. I arrive at 05:55. I was hoping to get some good early sushi. I won't be there in time to get in line for Sushi Daiwa, which is all over the internet as "the place to go". Do any FTers have recommendations of places I can make it to, are delicious, won't cost me north of $100 (I can eat a good amount), and I won't have to wait for more than an hour? I arrive on a Tuesday in June if that matters.
Are there other activities you wish to accomplish in the 11 hours besides early sushi?
Tsukiji market will have lots of non-Internet famous places open for sushi breakfast. Unless you're a real connoisseur of raw fish (I certainly am not), they're probably all "good enough" for the objectives described. They also post menus to give an indication of price point. So, just pick one that's not empty but also doesn't have Sushi Daiwa levels of queuing.
If you also want sushi for lunch / snack, Nemuro Hanamaru recommended above is not expensive but only opens at 11am. They are however very judgment free (you write the number of what you want on a piece of paper and hand it to the chef, no discussion offered or required) and the non-standing restaurant has an electronic queuing system (queue ticket comes with a QR code that is constantly refreshed with the anticipated wait time), so the time spent actually standing in line (vs wandering around Ginza while keeping an eye on the queue webpage) should be well under an hour.