Osaka

Sushi Roku

鮨　ろく

Placing ingredients above all else, Sushi Roku stands out for its impeccable quality. With just eight seats at the counter, Chef Norihisa Horiuchi extends warm hospitality, tailoring each piece of nigiri to the guest’s pace. His signature uni tasting offers a rare chance to savor the subtle distinctions of Japan’s finest sea urchins. He also prepares two types of sushi rice to complement the characteristics of the different toppings.

Just a short walk from Osaka Station, Sushi Roku offers a haven of quiet refinement amid the city’s bustle. This intimate sushi counter has cultivated a loyal following since opening in 2006. The elegant dining room is centered around a beautifully grained hinoki counter, where the chef prepares an exquisite omakase meal. The seasonal menu is centered on sushi, complemented by delicate sashimi and grilled fish.

“Guests from overseas come here in search of authentic sushi,” Horiuchi says. “We serve only a few side dishes so the focus remains on the rice and fish.”

His dedication to quality defines each day: beginning with an early morning visit to the market, where he personally selects the finest seasonal catch. Horiuchi also applies equal care to the shari, or sushi rice. For lighter ingredients such as white fish, he uses a softer, subtly sweetened rice seasoned with vinegar. For richer toppings such as tuna, he prepares a separate batch seasoned with a blend of two types of red vinegar, designed to amplify depth and umami.

Impeccable quality

At Sushi Roku, the omakase experience weaves sushi and seasonal dishes into a culinary narrative. The course begins with an appetizer and an assortment of sashimi, followed by eight pieces of sushi. Grilled fish and vinegared dishes are served in between the nigiri courses, providing rhythm and contrast.

The sashimi platter offers a seasonal variety, featuring two types of bonito: one raw, garnished with myoga ginger and spring onions, the other straw-grilled for a smoky accent. A slice of sea bream from Akashi offers a sweet, balanced contrast.

The nigiri courses begin with akamutsu, or blackthroat seaperch, lightly salted and seared on the skin, bringing forth a delicate smokiness and rich flavor. The lean akami tuna is supple and clean, with restrained acidity from the vinegared rice. The fatty tuna, paired with the stronger-flavored rice, offers a luxurious bite that melts in your mouth. “The key,” he explains, “is to avoid over-compressing the sushi. Press gently on the outside and let air into the center. This way, it falls apart elegantly on the tongue.”

A signature moment of the meal is the sea urchin tasting. The day’s offering featured Ezo Bafun uni from Hokkaido and Kita Murasaki uni from Aomori, delicately placed over white rice in a small bowl. The dish highlights the nuanced differences in texture, salinity and richness, highlighting the ingredient’s unique character.

The conger eel nigiri, made with eel from Nagasaki Prefecture, offers great satisfaction. The chef selects eels with ample fat, with the house-made tsume sauce adding a gentle sweetness.

INGREDIENTS
Every morning, Horiuchi visits Osaka’s central market to select the day’s fish, adhering to his belief that the quality of sushi begins with a firsthand understanding of the ingredients. His selection spans a wide seasonal range: sea bream, tilefish, striped jack, gizzard shad, mackerel, horse mackerel, tuna, kuruma prawn, cockles, clams, uni, conger eel, and many more—always dictated by the season. The beverage selection is equally robust, offering beer, sake, shochu, champagne and wine. For flexibility, both wine and champagne are available by the glass or bottle.

CHEF

Norihisa Horiuchi

Horiuchi, born in Sakai City in Osaka, found joy in cooking from a young age, often assisting his mother in the kitchen. As the middle of four siblings, he began thinking seriously about his career while still in high school. After graduation, he began training at a Chinese restaurant but soon pivoted to Japanese cuisine, driven by his passion to master cooking with fish.

Over the course of 11 years, he worked in a variety of sushi restaurants—from casual local establishments to upscale counters in Kitashinchi—learning not just the craft of sushi but also the nuance of service and seasonality.

At age 32, he fulfilled his long-held dream of opening his own restaurant. Sushi Roku was born from a desire to use only the best ingredients and serve the guests with sincerity. Nineteen years on, that ambition has matured into a respected institution.

VISION
“I want to continue serving delicious sushi,” Horiuchi says humbly. He sees sushi as a never-ending journey of refinement, and believes in building his skills day by day through practice. Should he ever feel that he can no longer serve sushi at the level he demands, he says it will be time to move on to a new chapter.

UNI

Among Horiuchi’s proudest offerings is the curated uni tasting, offering a variety of Japan’s top-grade sea urchins, such as Bafun, Murasaki or Aka uni. Presented side by side with white rice, it is both an education and a celebration of diversity within a single ingredient. His hope is simple: that guests will experience the distinctive beauty of each, and understand how sushi can be a profoundly expressive cuisine.

“Sushi may be a narrow field, but it is deep,” Horiuchi says. “A single fish can vary greatly depending on the season, region and condition.”