JR Otaru Station. It's always bustling with all sorts of people.
You'll find all sorts of people inside the station: office workers on their way to work, foreign tourists visiting Japan, locals going out for errands, and so on.

In a corner of JR Otaru Station, there is a sushi restaurant called "Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch." This time, I would like to introduce this restaurant to you all.

I've arrived at JR Otaru Station.
Inside the station, in addition to shops, there is a market where you can buy food products from "Naruto," famous for its half-fried chicken, as well as a coffee shop, a fast food restaurant, and "Ise Sushi Station Branch."

A white curtain with the word "Sushi" written in black, handwritten letters.
It's simple, so it's easy to remember. And to the left of this is "Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch".

The shop is standing-only with counter seating.
Would it be full with about 5 people?

On the day I visited, it was right after the shop opened, so I was the only customer when I took the photo. However, another customer arrived immediately after I took this picture.

The restaurant is always busy with a steady stream of customers, but the chefs never forget to pay attention to their needs.
On this day too, I made sure to value communication with the customers who came into the store.

As you can see from the menu, we offer a variety of options, including à la carte sushi at reasonable prices ranging from 160 to 450 yen per piece, as well as chef's choice sushi, rice bowls such as seafood bowls, and value-for-money 3-piece sets.

This time I had the three-piece set of tuna, salmon, and conger eel (520 yen).

The sushi rice is seasoned with just the right amount of vinegar, and the seafood is fresh. And of course, the way it's made ensures it doesn't fall apart, so you can bring it to your mouth without getting rice on your hands.
However, the rice isn't firm and dense; it's soft and fluffy.

This is true craftsmanship...! And all this for only 520 yen... what a bargain!

By the way, the sushi toppings already come with soy sauce, so you can enjoy them as is!

They also sell "norimaki" (sushi rolls), a "daily special seafood bowl" with different toppings each day, and "futomaki" (thick sushi rolls), so why not pick some up as souvenirs?
I would recommend this product to your family and friends as well.

The futomaki looks delicious and substantial!

It's great to eat alone, or to share with friends and family.
One of the great things about futomaki (thick sushi rolls) is that you can enjoy them in different ways.

I also took photos of the display case for the food.
By the way, this is just a joke, but please note that it may change depending on the time of year.

This is the display case for seafood such as whelks, crabs, mantis shrimp, and scallops.
Of all these things, I'd like you to pay particular attention to the size of the crabs!

Many people have probably never seen such a large crab in a display case, have they?

Next, this display case contains shrimp and tuna.
I had spot prawns at this restaurant before, and they were indeed plump and fresh.

This time I had a three-piece set of tuna, and it was also fresh, firm, and delicious.

This third one contains ingredients such as octopus and salmon.

I tried the salmon this time, and it wasn't fishy at all. It had just the right amount of fat, so I would recommend it even to people who don't usually like salmon.

This fourth one contains salmon roe, flying fish roe, herring roe, and more.

I also tried the salmon roe on a previous visit, and the moment I bit into the individual grains of roe, I was able to enjoy the delightful popping texture. I highly recommend it.

Because "Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch" is located inside JR Otaru Station, it seems that a relatively large number of customers are people who don't have much time to spare.

Since many people are concerned about train schedules, this place is more of a place to grab a quick bite, which is perhaps the difference between it and "Ise Sushi Honten" in that you can enjoy sushi at a leisurely pace.

However, it seems that many people stop by on their way home from work to enjoy a leisurely meal.

These people eat and drink as if to relieve the fatigue of work, and spend their time enjoying conversations with the chefs... In this way, they release their stress and work hard again the next day.

Why not visit Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch, a place that offers such a relaxing atmosphere?

~Afterword~

The restaurant I visited this time, "Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch," is located on the left side if you go straight down the road to the right of the ticket gate after entering JR Otaru Station.
When I first visited for the interview, customers kept coming in one by one while I was waiting for my sushi, and the counter became completely full.

Then, one customer ordered, "Could you add one more topping to my three-color rice bowl and make it a four-color rice bowl?"

The chef then replied, "Yes, certainly! However, the price will be a little higher, is that alright?" He first readily accepted the order and then explained the price.

If they were to say, "The price will be a little higher, is that okay?" and only mention the price, it might not leave a very good impression.
This was another moment where I felt the thoughtful consideration of Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch.

Please do visit Ise Sushi Ekimae Branch to enjoy such heartfelt sushi.

Ise Sushi Station Branch
2-22-15 Inaho, Otaru City, inside JR Otaru Station
Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 15:00 PM, 16:30 PM - 19:30 PM
Closed: Every Wednesday / First Tuesday of every month (Open on public holidays and festivals)
Phone: 080-2873-3391
http://www.isezushi.com/

Author: Hozuki Amane

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