I will be in Tokyo in three weeks, and I really want to try Japanese Wagyu or Kobe beef while I'm there! I want to get high quality beef but without breaking the bank.... I've heard a lot about Shima, which looks amazing to me. However we are already going to be spending a lot on a high-end sushi restaurant, so I would like to try to stay under $100 for our wagyu meal. Is there anywhere that anybody can reccommend that is similar to Shima, but for less expensive? I don't need any frills or fancy restaurants, just great quality steak! Also open to hearing about non-steak options, such as shabu-shabu or sukiyaki. Thanks in advance!

I'm going on a trip to Tokyo in about a month. I am a HUGE sushi lover and I am beyond excited to eat sushi in Japan! I want to make sure I am making the most out of my time (and money) in Tokyo. I have a reservation one night at Sushisho Masa, which is a big splurge for me. I would love to have more amazing sushi meals but I don't want to plan ahead for them and don't want to pay as much as my big dinner. I am looking for price range under 8000 yen (under 80 USD). When I was at my favorite sushi bar in LA the other day (it is about as good as sushi gets in LA, this chef knows what he's doing) and I told my chef and the Japanese person sitting next to me that I was planning on dining at Sushisho Masa, they basically laughed that I would spend so much money on sushi in Tokyo. They said there are so many amazing options under $100.... so why cant I find info about any online?! Please help, any advice is apprecaited :)

I will be going to Tokyo next month (end of July) and just landed a reservation at Sushisho Masa, which I am VERY excited about. My boyfriend and I wanted to try one of the high-end sushi-ya and Sushisho Masa was one that we had read great things about, and were able to get a reservation at. However there are a few things that I have not found much information on, so I would love to know if anyone here can help me out with these questions!

1. I've read many different articles/reviews and there is a lot of variation for information about how many pieces of sushi you get, and price. Is it really 40-50 pieces (unless you ask him to stop earlier)? And is it the same price no matter what or does the price vary with the amount of sushi you eat? I would assume that if you got full after 30 pieces, the cost would be a little bit cheaper than if you allowed the chef to continue with the full 50 course meal. I would love to eat as much as he is willing to give us, but I also want to have realistic expectations about price.

2. Is there a difference between the earlier reservation and the later one? I've read that the meal lasts 2.5 to 3 hours, but from what I saw during my reservation selection, we could have a reservation at 6:30 or 8:30. That seems like if we had the 6:30 reservation that it would only be able to be a 2 hour meal? Unless I read it wrong and the second seating is 9:30.... but pretty sure I saw 8:30. We have the 6:30 reservation and I want to make sure we will get the same experience as someone who is raving about a lengthened 2.5 to 3 hour meal! And be able to get the amount of courses allowed for that length of time.

3. What is the shari like at Masa? Is it heavily vinegered or more mild? I guess this doesnt make that much of a difference but I want to have a correct expectation. I would love to try somewhere that uses substantially vinegered rice because that is so different than any sushi I'll eat in LA. So if Masa's rice is more mild, maybe I will consider booking a lunch somewhere that has more vinegar in their rice.

I hope someone can help me with any one of these questions! Thank you in advance. And any other tips or info you have, I would love to hear as well!

Thank you!