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Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/6 04:04
Hi there,
I just came back from Japan. During my time, I ate a couple of times at this standing sushi bar in Asakusa, Tokyo. It's near Exit 4 of Tokyo Metro (Ginza Line) and between a Baskin Robbins 31 Ice Cream parlor and the Major 7 Eleven on the same side of the street. It's opposite of the Senso-ji gate and a 24 hr Family Mart. Does anyone know of the name of it and maybe a link to it? Thanks!
by rsxguy04 (guest)  

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/6 15:58
Maguro-bito Kaminarimon shucchojo まぐろ人 雷門出張所
by max. 40 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/6 21:55
As mentioned above, the standing sushi bar seems to be a shop named:

まぐろ人 雷門出張所 (Marugo-bito Kaminari-mon Shuccho-jo)

Its literal translation is:
Tuna People, Kaminari-mon Branch

Here are several images showing this standing sushi bar:
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r4105612164675
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r285533632469
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r558005922236
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r829595389570
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r85739214830
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r087772293562
http://tabelog.com/imgview/original?id=r326585276509

Here is the official site of Marugo-bito sushi bars group (written in Japanese):
http://www.magurobito.com/

According to my survey, the Kaminari-mon branch is not listed on this official site.

This implies that the Kaminari-mon branch is NOT an official bar of this group, but a small franchise bar under private management.
by dosanko100 rate this post as useful

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/7 08:25
Thanks to the both of you for posting. When the first person posted, I was confused as I thought Maguro-bito was the conveyor belt sushi further west of that main street. But thanks for the second person clarifying things up! Just one quick question, After when I ordered O-toro, the sushi chef pulled out this well marbeled tuna out. What is it exactly called? He mentioned something that started with a "k".

Otherwise to the people who are reading this post. I highly recommend going here for sushi at a very reasonable price. Just be sure to know that it's very helpful to know the sushi vocabulary.
by rsxguy04 rate this post as useful

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/7 15:19
Hiya again.

After reading menu items listed on the official site, I wasn't able to find any menu items beginning with a "k" AND meaning well marbelized tuna.

Menu items listed on the official site and beginning with a "k" were:

Kohada: this is not tuna (something like Dotted gizzard shad)
Katsu Dako: not tuna, but fresh octopus
Katsu Madai: not tuna, but fresh Pagrus major
Kanpachi: something like Greater amberjack
Katsu Hokki-gai: a kind of shellfish
Kani-bo: only means boiled crab arms
Kariforunia Roll (= California Roll)
Katsu Ma-aji: not tuna, but fresh Japanese jack mackerel
Katsu Hirame : not tuna, but fresh large-tooth flounder
Kan Aji: not tuna
Kan Saba: not tuna
Katsu-shiro Miru-gai: a kind of shellfish (something like clams)
Kazunoko: not tuna, but yellow eggs of the Pacific herring.
Katsu Akagai: not tuna, but a kind of shellfish
Katsu Aji: not tuna, something like Trachurus japonicus
Katsu Awabi: not tuna, but a kind of shellfish

Note that the prefix "Katsu-" only means "something fresh" or "something looked as if it is still alive"
That is:
Katsu-Medai" = fresh Pagrus major
"Madai" = Pagrus major

As you see, the menu items listed above don't contain any word meaning tuna.

People working at the standing bar you visited, might call sushi another name (because it's not an official bar).
by dosanko100 rate this post as useful

Kamatoro 2012/7/7 15:58
Hi there, I did find out what it was called: Kamatoro. When I went and ordered O-toro as my first item, the chef then pulled out this beautiful, well-marbled piece of tuna. I found out from here and was surprised to know that it's even rare in Japan: http://www.sushiencyclopedia.com/blog/2007/10/14/the-secret-fatty-tuna...
by rsxguy04 rate this post as useful

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/7 17:11
Hiya again

Kamatoro is only a small part of tuna (a small block near tuna's branchiae), and generally taken in Japan as something very precious and rare.

According to my survey,
most cheaper Kamatoro distributed around Japan, comes from the US or Mediterranean countries, while more expensive Kamatoro (the true Kamatoro) comes from Japan's Choshi Port in Chiba or specific ports in Kyushu.

In my opinion, the Kamatoro you ate at the standing bar is the "cheaper" one. It is highly unlikely that you see the true Kamatoro at a small standing sushi bar.

Anyway, I think you're lucky.
by dosanko100 rate this post as useful

Re: Standing sushi bar in Asakusa 2012/7/7 17:23
Thanks for the clarification :) . It's really good to know these things. Even more of a reason to try out one of the higher-end sushi-ya in Ginza!
by rsxguy04 rate this post as useful

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