Sushi via Shinkansen

At the Tekkamaru Conveyor Belt Sushi Restaurant, located inside the Kansai International Airport, the setup is similar. You sit in a booth and have the option of grabbing what you want off the conveyor belt, but attached to the edge of your table is a screen where you might search for other options. Only this time, when your customized order arrives, it’s delivered above the conveyor belt on a separate “Express Lane” track.

The tray, made to resemble a mini Shinkansen, or bullet train, carries the food straight out of the kitchen and to the table to which the order was programmed. A sign explains to customers to press the “red return button” after they take their plate off the Shinkansen so that the bullet train may carry on, either to return to the kitchen or to deliver another order to a different table. A whirring sound accompanies the effect as the mini plastic bullet train takes off on the track. Snap!

The typical items were served here—I enjoyed an ume shiso roll, some shrimp sushi with a cheesy mayonnaise sauce and chives on top—but the most unusual item had to be the crab meat, tamago and crab miso that sat upon a bed of sushi rice inside a crab carapace, eyes intact and all. It was delightfully tacky, if a bit creepy. But it was utilitarian as well as creative, I had to give them that—I have never seen this done anywhere else.

Our bill for this place was also quite low, as each item ranged in price from ¥110 to ¥300. Not bad for a place that entertained as well as served decent food.

Kaiten Sushi Tekkamaru

Kansai International Airport, Terminal 1, 2F

1 Senshukukokita, Izumisano,
Osaka Prefecture 549-0001, Japan