Sukiyabashi Jiro

A city of commuters, Tokyo excels in fragrant platform noodle bars and pretty takeaway bento boxes, but if you find yourself staying in the Ginza district, make a reservation to eat at Sukiyabashi Jiro, the metro station’s much-publicised underground sushi bar. Headed up by the master himself, Mr Jiro Ono (there is a documentary about him called Jiro Dreams Of Sushi on Netflix), not only has Mr Barack Obama eaten here but it has three Michelin stars. Begin with a seat at the bar (there are only 10). Here you will be given a hot towel to cleanse your hands and a green tea, while delicate pieces of fish (fresh from Tsukiji market) are prepared at speed in front of you. Presented on perfect pillows of rice, the 20-course “omakase” tasting menu, which changes daily, might include squid (sumi-ika), tuna nigiri (akami, chu-toro and oo-toro), octopus (tako) and clam (akagai). You’ll be out in under 45 minutes. Note that Instagramming the food is frowned upon.

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