A one-of-a-kind spot for hand-rolled sushi, Kobe beef and Japanese drinks

About a three-minute walk from Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, right across from the Tsukiji Outer Market, Kururi Sushi / GINie CAFE is a slightly unusual place: a temaki (hand roll) sushi specialist and a café bar rolled into one.

Hand rolls are ordered one at a time with the topping of your choice, which suits a full meal just as well as a quick bite partway through a walk. Dishes made with Kobe beef, Japanese whisky and more than 40 kinds of gin round out a lineup that will appeal to anyone who likes a drink. Food souvenirs line the shelves inside, so there is shopping to be done as well.
It is an easy stop to work into a day of sightseeing in Tsukiji.

The first thing to try is the hand rolls. They are ordered one at a time, so you can work through the toppings that catch your eye little by little. The carefully chosen fresh toppings sit on shari (seasoned sushi rice) cooked with kombu (kelp) added to the pot, which lifts the savory depth of the seafood. The nori (dried seaweed sheets) comes from Maruyama Nori-ten, a long-established Tsukiji shop; its crisp bite and rich aroma wrap around the flavor of the fillings. Also popular is the Sushi Burrito, which uses colorful vegetable sheets in place of nori.

For those who would rather roll their own, the Hand-roll Sushi Experience Set is the one to pick. From nine brightly colored fillings — sashimi such as tuna, salmon and shrimp, plus tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), cucumber, tuna salad and mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) mayonnaise — you choose the combination you like. The pleasure of making a roll of your own may well become a memory of the trip.

What you can enjoy here reaches well beyond hand rolls and other seafood: dishes made with Kobe beef, café items, and drinks from all over Japan.

The Kobe beef short-rib steak arrives on a sizzling iron plate, an appetizing piece of work. The Philly cheesesteak sandwich, packed with Kobe beef, pairs the rich savor of the meat, which spreads the longer you chew, with molten cheese.

There is a slightly unusual way to enjoy the place as well: the curry, craft cola, coffee and other items sold in the shop can be eaten and drunk on the spot. Japanese whisky and a gin selection of more than 40 kinds can be paired freely with the wide-ranging menu.

When something sweet is in order, an açaí bowl or a drink makes for a café break. The matcha latte is the real thing, whisked to order in front of you.

At the Tsukiji intersection where Harumi-dori and Shin-ohashi-dori cross, Kururi Sushi / GINie CAFE sits on the first floor of the building on the corner. About a three-minute walk from Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, it is easy to reach and easy to fold into a wander through the Tsukiji Outer Market.

The compact interior puts the sushi counter on the left as you come in, the café bar counter in the middle, and shelves of souvenirs on the right. Beyond eating, you are free to spend the time as you like — browsing for food that catches your eye, or having a drink at the counter. Vegan and halal options are on the menu as well, which is reassuring for anyone with requirements around what they eat.

Seafood, or a breather at the café bar: either works. It is an easy place to drop into partway through a walk around Tsukiji, according to your mood and how hungry you are.