Queuing & Etiquette - Sushi Dai

Hi everyone, I'm bring my mom to Japan in June and would love to take her to Sushi Dai. We're staying in a hotel in Tsukiji the night before and are planning to head over at 4AM to line up for breakfast.

1) Will 4AM be early enough to be the 1st round of guests seated in the restaurant? Or should we get there even earlier?

2) My mother is a senior and won't be able to stand around for too long a period. If we bring a cane with a seat, will it be bad etiquette if she sits on it while in the queue?

Thanks!

If you want to be there at the 1st round, I would recommend you to be there before 3am. Sushi-dai opens at 5am.

It alright to bring a portable folding chair with you. You can buy at discount stores around 1,000 Yen.
https://www.donkimall.com/shop/products/detail.php?product_id=26643

Sushi-dai invites 12 guests every 60 mins interval. Each round accepts 12 gusts. If tour gusts(mostly international visitors) visit Sushi-dai more than 12 gusts at once, you need to wait at least two hours. It often need to wait 5-6 hours.

If you need to go to toilet, ask your backward person that you need to go to toilet and come back. If you leave the line without saying anything, it will be trouble.

So we won't be considered rude or in the way if I had my mom bring and sit on a small chair/stool while waiting?

The reason I need reconfirmation is that the last 3 times I was at Tsukiji (going to different sushi restaurants each time), no matter how long the wait is, I didn't see anyone sitting. (I waited 4 hrs for Sushi Dai last time T_T)

So I really want to make sure we're not causing any trouble or risk getting scold at for bringing a small chair/stool for my mother.

I'm sure people would understand that older people sometimes can't stand for too long, don't worry :)

It's not worth putting your mom through such discomfort.

Thanks!

As for whether it's worth it... well, last time I was at Sushi Dai, I lined up for 4 hours and it was worth every minute of it, imo. Especially at that price point. So... :)

You can bring your own small chair to sit and Nintendo DS if you have while you don't block the pathway where people come and go.

If I were you, I would not waste my time for this uncomfort. The last time, I was there and saw a long line. I questioned myself if there was any alternative? I walked to the other side of the market and saw one silent sushi restaurant. It was delicious. The host of the restaurant did not allow to take any pictures, so it cannot be as popular as Sushi Dai.

It is very reasonal that you will feel everything over delicious when you are hungry for more than 4 hours.

My best buddy was born in Japan, he loves sushi, could eat it everyday, but he would never ever wait in line for 2 hours, never mind 3-4 hrs.
Some tourists line up because they believe the hype about a sushi place, or other type of restaurants, but others are just as good, otherwise the locals wouldn't patronize them years after years.

@Red frog: it is true. The sushi restaurant that I visited the last year in the market had only local customers except for me and my friends at that time.

I couldn't imagine lining up for sushi at 3am, let alone with my 65 year old mother whingeing about being awake that early in the morning to get breakfast. I've been to Tsukiji many times but have never bothered to go to Sushi Dai because I wasn't convinced it was vastly better than the rest. I've never been disappointed with other restaurants in the market. Perhaps ask your mother her preference.

@Sal1980 Thanks for the concern~ I most definitely have discussed this with my mother and she's totally ok with it. We're going there the day after we arrive in Japan from Canada, because she thinks it's best as we would wake up early anyway due to jet lag anyway. :)