Now that’s a another place to stop by when I go to Japan.

$300-400?  Damn you, lottery tickets!  Why won’t you let me win?!

I do see this is the restaurant featured in “No Reservations” although it appears one has to make a reservation up to a year in advance?

There is no other way to be able to try it without doing that?

I’m not sure, to be honest. I saw that it was featured on No Reservations, but other sources I looked at (like the A Life Worth Eating post I linked to) made it seem like the restaurant was sometimes kinda empty.

So you’re saying that the Japanese stars are given out by different people? Or how do you mean that they’re different?

 Well, they have a special Tokyo guide: http://www.michelin.com/corporate/EN/news/products/article?articleID=NMICHELIN-Guide-Tokyo-Yokohama-Shonan-2012

Like it says, “The criteria are adapted to each type of cuisine, notably Japanese cooking styles.”

Even though not everyone was happy about it when it was introduced a few years ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/business/worldbusiness/24guide.html?pagewanted=all

Not sure who told you there is only a single three star sushi restaurant, there are in fact three of them in Tokyo. Mizutani, Saito, and Sukyabashi Jiro.

Whoops, it looks like my research on the Michelin guide was less than accurate. I’ll edit my post, sorry for the mistake!

I want to have some quality sushi when I go to Japan. California rolls and other sushi abomonations here in California just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Well I think that was in a Wiki reference about the reservations thing. I think if a person is going to spend that kind of money, they would find a place for them to sit  =)

Thanks for the article. It is interesting and now I’m dying for some good sushi!

before i spend $400 on a few pieces of fish i would rather take a boat to an island and catch all i can eat.

The funny thing is, sushi IS NOT Japanese.  Sushi was developed in Southeast Asia (namely China) before it ever hit Japan.  The original sushi was/is called Nare-Sushi (馴れ寿司 or 熟寿司).  Sushi was brought to Japan by the Chinese. 

Just like tempura is not really Japanese either.  Batter-coated deep frying was introduced to the Japanese by Portuguese
missionaries during the 16th century. The origin of the word tempura is
due to Portuguese missionaries that ate fish due to the Catholic
proscription against meat during Lent, in Latin, “ad tempora
quadragesimae”, meaning “in the time of Lent”. 

But don’t tell any Japanese people this, because their heads will explode.  Trust me.

Anyhow, this makes the first line of your post 100% wrong.  Please fix it.

When i went to Sukiyabashi Jiro two months ago, i got my table just one week in advance. What was interesting though, the restaurant was almost empty. (And at some point i finished eating there alone!) Anyway,it was a truly unique experience.

Actually, I think Japanese are more accustomed to cheap, good food.  I can easily eat a great meal in Japan for under $10.  Once you factor in tax and tip, meals in the U.S. tend to run about two or three times what they run in Japan.  Jiro’s is an outlier.  In a country where every housewife is a sushi expert, it’s hard to figure what would justify the price.  I guess the tablecloths must be very nice.

Seen the documentary. Sushi is not for everyone. It may be called “World Class” food. You may have the money in your hands to buy one of these expensive foods. But one thing I’m sure that these so called “World Class” foods are going in to the same path after you digest them.

Appreciation :
~ Hard work
~ Availabilty
~ Preparation
~ Skill
~ 3 Star recognition

All of these mentioned above is not even worth paying for something impractical for a food just to satisfy the taste.

are the sushis garnished with sparkles of diamonds?

Watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi and you will understand. Jiro has spent all of his 75 years as a sushi chef perfecting his craft and he still considers himself to be learning. The ingredients are only the best, freshest, most perfect catches of the day. And if they do not reach his standards that day, they are not on the menu. Every ingredient is prepared with techniques that have been mastered and perfected over a lifetime of practice. By the way, there are no tablecloths. The sushi bar is a minimalist, understated bar with nine seats. It is the only sushi restaurant ever to receive a Michelin rating, not to mention three of their coveted stars.

If that japanese company is the most influential food reviewing entity in the world? Yep, I’m pretty sure they’d pay a lot of attention to that french restaurant.

The Michelin Stars aren’t just some gimmicks. They really mean something. If that is the only sushi restaurant in the world that got any, never mind the perfect 3/3 stars, then it means something. All I know is that if I’ll have the money I sure as heck am going to invite my family to have a dinner there. Maybe ( actually most likely ) the food there isn’t 150-250 times better than the normal sushi that you can eat elsewhere, but it’s the price of the best sushi in the world.

Why don’t you not to use Japanese to describe non Japanese food ?

I loved the film…i saw it at the local video store…if i had the money…I would have one lovely meal there …nothing compares to the art that Jiro exhibitis…look at the way he dons the brush at the end…pure art.

Thanks for giving the correct information of sushi’s history.
[Anyhow, the first line of your post 100% wrong. Please fix it.] Because China is in EAST Asia, not southeast.
I’m sure even one year ago, the wiki says so.

Do they mean something to the children of the world who wonder where their next meal is going to come from?? I think not… get a grip on reality. Michelin stars are just a another name for opinion.