Sushi Karashima

Sushi Karashima: Pearl Verdict

Dinner at Sushi Karashima runs JPY 60,000–79,999 per person — roughly $400–530 USD at current rates — which puts it among Fukuoka's most expensive omakase counters. For that spend, you get a Tabelog Bronze Award winner (2024, 2025, 2026) with a 4.23 score, named in the Tabelog Sushi WEST Top 100 in 2021, 2022, and 2025, and ranked as high as #108 among all restaurants in Japan by Opinionated About Dining in 2025. The case for booking is strong if high-end omakase is what you're after. If you want something more accessible in Fukuoka's sushi scene, look elsewhere , this counter is not designed for casual visits.

About Sushi Karashima

Sushi Karashima opened in May 2018 in Akasaka, a quieter residential neighbourhood in Fukuoka's Chuo Ward, close to Sakurazaka station. Chef Hiroshi Karashima runs an eight-seat counter , that's it, eight seats , which means the room is intimate by design. There are no private rooms. The scale here is the point: every guest is in the same space, watching the same hands work, with no separation between kitchen and table. For a special occasion dinner, that intimacy is genuinely part of what you're paying for. The counter format delivers focus and precision that larger venues simply cannot replicate.

The restaurant operates dinner-only, running two seatings: 6:00–8:15 PM and 8:30–11:00 PM, seven days a week. There is no lunch service, so if your editorial angle points toward morning or daytime visits, Sushi Karashima does not fit that brief. This is strictly an evening destination. The venue is non-smoking throughout, and guests are asked not to wear strong fragrances , perfume or heavily scented fabric softener are grounds for refusal of entry. Both policies are worth knowing before you arrive.

Payment is cash-only: no credit cards, no electronic money, no QR code payments. At JPY 60,000–79,999 per person, that means arriving prepared with a meaningful amount of cash , plan ahead, particularly if you're travelling without ready access to a Japanese ATM. Children are only welcome if they can participate in the adult omakase course without modification. The venue can be reserved for private hire in its entirety, which makes it a genuine option for a small-group celebration if you can coordinate the booking.

Booking logistics require attention. Reservations are accepted by phone only, up to one month in advance from the same calendar date , meaning you can call on June 1st to book July 1st, but not earlier. Calls are not accepted during service hours (6:00–11:00 PM), so your window is daytime only. Reservations by proxy are not permitted; you must call yourself. Given the eight-seat capacity and the venue's consistent award recognition across multiple years, booking a month out is the practical target. This is not a walk-in counter.

Within Fukuoka's sushi tier, Sushi Karashima sits alongside Chikamatsu and Gahoujin 我逢人 as the city's most credentialled omakase options. For broader Japan context, it operates at a level comparable to counters like Harutaka in Tokyo or Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong , serious, small-format omakase with consistent national recognition. Fukuoka's proximity to Kyushu's seafood supply gives counters here a genuine regional argument; the city is often cited as one of Japan's strongest sushi cities outside Tokyo and Osaka. If you're building a Japan itinerary around sushi, Sushi Gyoten, Sushi Osamu, and Tenzushi Kyomachi are worth cross-referencing alongside Karashima. For the wider Fukuoka picture, see our full Fukuoka restaurants guide, and for planning your stay, our Fukuoka hotels guide and bars guide cover the rest of the city.

Ratings at a Glance

• Tabelog Score: 4.23
• Tabelog Award: Bronze 2024, 2025, 2026
• Tabelog Sushi WEST Top 100: Selected 2021, 2022, 2025
• Opinionated About Dining Japan Ranking: #108 (2025), #134 (2024), #148 (2023)
• Google Reviews: 3.9 (130 reviews)

Practical Details

• Price: JPY 60,000–79,999 per person (dinner only)
• Hours: Mon–Sun, two seatings: 6:00–8:15 PM and 8:30–11:00 PM
• Seats: 8 (counter only, no private rooms)
• Booking: Phone only (080-6661-3999), up to one month in advance, daytime calls only
• Payment: Cash only
• Dress code: None stated, but the price tier and venue formality suggest smart dress
• Fragrance policy: Strong perfumes and scented products not permitted
• Children: Permitted only if participating in the full adult course
• Parking: Not available
• Private hire: Full venue buyout available

How It Compares

See the comparison section below.