My Best Mackerel Sushi is "Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 Saba-takana-maki". 鯖寿司・サバ鮨

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi Food

I will rank the different kinds of mackerel sushi you can inexpensively get in and around Tokyo. This mackerel is usually marinated in vinegar, and tasty.

1st: Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi
さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi

This is a type of maki-sushi (sushi roll) called Saba-takana-maki さば高菜巻 in Japanese.
Marinated mackerel and a few kinds of ingredients are rolled with pickled leaf mustard.
This pickled leaf mustard is called Takana, and it is edible.

Many supermarkets in Japan offer this sushi. It usually costs between 300 yen and 600 yen for 4 pieces.

Supermarket: Ito-Yokado イトーヨーカドー

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨

さば高菜巻 Saba-takana-maki
398 yen

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨

It contains mackerel, cucumber, pickled ginger and leaf mustard.

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨

When you want this sushi, I recommend the supermarket Ito-Yokado, because they regularly offer this item through the year. Usually, every day.
Some supermarkets of Ito-Yokado chain maybe don't have this sushi in stock.

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨

There is a tiny pack of soy sauce in the sushi package, but there is no wasabi.
At this supermarket, they kindly give a complimentary pack of wasabi which is prepared at the seafood section. You can put it in your basket, and show it when you pay the bill.

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 鮨

The supermarket Ito-Yokado usually offers standard level of mackerel sushi as pictured above, but when they sometimes get higher quality mackerel named Kinka-mackerel (Kinka-saba 金華鯖), they make special quality mackerel sushi.

It is more delicious because it has plenty of fat. However, both the special and the standard sushi look the same. And it is a little more expensive.

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi

金華さばの高菜巻 Kinkasaba-no-takana-maki
550 yen
It is used Kinka-mackerel 金華さば.

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi

Kinka-saba (Kinka-mackerel) is an expensive brand fish and well-known as more delicious than usual mackerel. Kinka-saba is domestically produced in Miyagi 宮城 Japan. It is not imported fish.

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi
さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi

There is a lot of thick mackerel in it. I like it.

さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi
さばの高菜巻 イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi
イトーヨーカドー Ito-Yokado

Supermarket name
Ito-Yokado イトーヨーカドー

Website

Ito Yokado (イトーヨーカドー) --- Must-visit shopping mall, hypermarket, superstore, supermarket, department store, tax-free, Japan
High quality and low prices. The best shopping malls in Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shinagawa, Ueno, Akibara, Skytree, Asakusa, Yokohama, Hokkaido, Sapporo, Susukino, Hakodate, Sendai, Osaka, Nagoya.

Supermarket: Inageya いなげや

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi 高菜のさば太巻 さば高菜巻 いなげや Inageya 鯖寿司 鮨

高菜のさば太巻 Takana-no-saba-futomaki
298 yen

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi 高菜のさば太巻 さば高菜巻 いなげや Inageya 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi 高菜のさば太巻 さば高菜巻 いなげや Inageya 鯖寿司 鮨

Picked radish (yellow one) is in it. I like its a little crispy touch.

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi 高菜のさば太巻 さば高菜巻 いなげや Inageya 鯖寿司 鮨

Supermarket name
Inageya いなげや

Website (in Japanese)

They are suburban supermarkets in and around Tokyo 東京 (and Saimata 埼玉, Kanagawa 神奈川, Chiba 千葉).

スーパーマーケット いなげや
1都3県にある食品スーパーマーケット。お客様の健康で豊かな、暖かい日常生活と、より健全な社会の実現に貢献してまいります。

Supermarket: Belx ベルクス

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜太巻寿司 さば高菜巻 ベルクス Belx 鯖寿司 鮨

さば高菜太巻寿司 Saba-takana-futomaki-sushi
299 yen

Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜太巻寿司 さば高菜巻 ベルクス Belx 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜太巻寿司 さば高菜巻 ベルクス Belx 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi さば高菜太巻寿司 さば高菜巻 ベルクス Belx 鯖寿司 鮨

Supermarket name
Belx ベルクス

Website (in Japanese)

専門性追求型スーパーマーケット スーパーベルクス
東京都、埼玉県、千葉県の専門性追求型スーパーマーケット「スーパーベルクス」のホームページ。各店舗の情報や最新チラシ情報、おすすめ商品などのお得な情報が盛り沢山。

These two supermarkets (Inageya いなげや, Belx ベルクス) rarely sell it.

2nd: Another Kind of Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi

Sushi Chain: SUSHIRO スシロー

A sushi restaurant chain Sushiro スシロー offers tasty Mackerel with Leaf Mustard Sushi only for to go.

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi
とろ鯖押し寿司
Torosaba-oshizushi
4 slices 400 yen
8 slices 780 yen

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

This is a type of pressed sushi called Oshizushi 押し寿司 in Japanese.
This restaurant's one is rolled with Takana.

This is pressed type sushi, not rolled type nor rice ball type sushi.
Rolled type and rice ball type sushi are usually made softer in texture than pressed type sushi.
Pressed type sushi is tightly pressed with sushi rice and other sushi ingredients.
Tastes good!

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

The restaurant uses Japanese (domestic) fatty mackerel.

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

I put some soy sauce and wasabi on it.

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば
SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司

8 slices 780 yen for to go

SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司
SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司
SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司
SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司

Very thick mackerel is in it.

SUSHIRO スシロー さば Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司
SUSHIRO スシロー

Sushi restaurant name
Sushiro スシロー

株式会社あきんどスシロー | TOP | 寿司(すし)・回転寿司
「スシロー」は寿司(すし)・回転寿司のチェーン店です。店舗情報から最新のメニュー、会社概要などをご紹介します。回転すしを食べに行くなら、スシローにご来店ください。 ※一部店舗は、品目・価格が異なります。

(in Japanese)

  • This sushi restaurant offers food both for here and to go, but this mackerel sushi is takeout only.
  • No service fee / No cover charge
  • No smoking
  • Tax is not included in the prices.
  • Most sushi items cost 100, 150 or 300 yen.
SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

お持ち帰り専用 means ONLY TO GO.
They sell Fatty Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司. It's offered only to go. Although I don't know the reason, the sushi is delicious and reasonable.

* Some restaurants of Sushiro chain don't have this sushi in stock.

I went to eat sushi inside the restaurant.
No sooner had I had a seat than I ordered Pressed Sushi, because they sell it in a limited quantity, and it requires long time to make.

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

English picture menu is available at their restaurants.
However, on the official website, English menu is not available.

SUSHIRO スシロー Mackerel Sushi 鯖寿司 さば

You may think up an idea that during eating in the restaurant you order Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司 for to go.
Then, when it comes to your table you open the packed sushi and eat it at the table.

Actually, it is impossible because you will receive a ticket instead of the sushi when it is prepared.

After you pay the bill and leave the restaurant, you can exchange the ticket to the sushi.

There are more than 500 Sushiro スシロー Restaurants all over Japan.

Different Price
At several restaurants located in downtown Tokyo such as Ueno 上野, Takadanobaba 高田馬場 and so on, the list prices are 20% or little more expensive.

Example
Mackerel Pressed Sushi とろ鯖押し寿司
4 slices 400 yen → 490 yen
8 slices 780 yen → 950 yen

3rd: Pressed Type Sushi with Konbu and Sliced Mackerel

BATTERA バッテラ

バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば

バッテラ Battera
540 yen

バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば

Battera is a kind of pressed type sushi. It is made with thinly sliced mackerel and Konbu which is a kind of sea vegetables (kelp).

バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば
バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば
バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば
バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば

Konbu sheet.

バッテラ BATTERA - 鯖寿司 Mackerel Sushi さば

SABA-BOU-SUSHI 鯖棒鮨

青森料理居酒屋 ごっつり 南千住 銀鯖棒寿司半分 Mackerel Pressed Sushi(Half Size) at Aomori Izakaya GOTTSURI Minami-Senju

鯖棒寿司 Saba-bou-sushi
680 yen

Restaurant Name
GOTTSURI ごっつり

Tasty Mackerel Dishes at Izakaya GOTTSURI in Minamisenju Tokyo【ごっつり】東京 南千住 鯖がおいしい居酒屋
When you're in Tokyo, check out this restaurant that specializes in mackerel dishes, such as sashimi, sushi, grilled mackerel and many more.
鯖棒鮨 Mackerel Sushi さば寿司 - 京樽

鯖棒鮨 Saba-bou-sushi
600 yen

Saba-bou-sushi is a kind of pressed type sushi. It is made with thickly sliced mackerel. This one in the picture above is made with Konbu which is a kind of sea vegetables (kelp).


Battera is regularly sold every day at this shop below.

Sushi shop name
KYOTARU 京樽

Website (in Japanese)

京樽|株式会社京樽
「株式会社京樽」は鮨(すし)を中心としたフードサービス事業を展開しています。店舗情報や新商品、会社概要などをご紹介します。鮨なら京樽にご来店ください。

4th: Very Thick Roll of Mackerel Sushi

This is also mackerel sushi roll. It is tasty, but not my favorite.
Because it is rolled with nori (dried sea vegetable sheet) instead of leaf mustard Takana 高菜.
Actually, pickled leaf mustard is my favorite ingredient when I eat mackerel sushi roll.

Mackerel Maki Sushi 真さばの極太巻 ライフ Life 鯖寿司 鮨

真さばの極太巻 Masaba-no-futo-maki
490 yen
太巻 Futo-maki means thick roll.
極太巻 Goku-futo-maki is very thick roll.

Mackerel Maki Sushi 真さばの極太巻 ライフ Life 鯖寿司 鮨
Mackerel Maki Sushi 真さばの極太巻 ライフ Life 鯖寿司 鮨

This supermarket (Life ライフ) rarely sell it.

5th: Rice Ball Type Mackerel Sushi (Nigiri Sushi)

Sushi Restaurant - KURASUSHI くら寿司

Lightly Seared Mackerel Sushi

Sushi Restaurant - KURASUSHI くら寿司

Marinated Mackerel Sushi

Conveyor-belt Sushi Restaurant (Sushi Go Round) KURASUSHI くら寿司 in Downtown Tokyo and all over Japan
One of my favorite conveyor-belt sushi restaurant chains is KURA くら (also called KURASUSHI / KURAZUSHI くら寿司). I usually go there every second month.

Raw Fatty Kinka Mackerel 金華とろ生さば - Sushi CHOUSHIMARU すし 銚子丸 - 回転寿司 鮨

Marinated Raw Fatty Kinka-Mackerel Sushi
金華とろ生さば Kinka-toro-nama-saba

Sushi Go Round CHOUSHIMARU in and around Tokyo 回転寿司 すし銚子丸
At lunch time until 2:00 pm on weekdays, their fish miso soup is free, You can also get free refills.
金華さば Kinka Mackerel Sushi 回転寿司 鮨 - OOEDO 大江戸

Marinated Kinka-Mackerel Sushi
金華さば Kinka-saba

All 160 Yen Sushi at a Conveyor-belt Sushi Restaurant OOEDO 大江戸 in Shinjuku 新宿 and Okachimachi 御徒町 Tokyo - 回転寿司
There is a 160-yen sushi restaurant where you can buy everything for 160 yen including tax.160 yen foods usually have two pieces of sushi on a dish, but high quality sushi foods have one piece of sushi on a dish. They are still inexpensive.

Tax is not included in the prices on this page. The prices are as of in 2019 - 2020.

Other Types of Mackerel Dishes

Have you ever eaten Miso Mackerel Meal?

Miso Mackerel Meal 鯖みそ定食 - YOSHINOYA 吉野家
A beef bowl chain YOSHINOYA 吉野家 also offers pork bowl, curry rice and veggie meal 牛丼・豚丼・カレー・ベジ定食
This beef bowl chain has more than 1200 restaurants all over Japan. It could be easy for international tourists to find the restaurant, if you walk around downtown of big city like Tokyo 東京, Osaka 大阪 and so on.

Some of the Japanese restaurants offer mackerel sashimi (raw fish).

Fresh Mackerel Sashimi Plate 刺身三種盛 Standing Bar KAMIYA 立ち呑み かみや

High quality mackerel sashimi

Tasty Japanese Food at a Staindig Bar/Izakaya KAMIYA in Umejima Tokyo 東京 梅島 【立ち呑み かみや】居酒屋 和食
I highly recommend that you try their daily specials, such as sashimi, grilled, simmered, deep-fried foods and so on. They are delicious and cost around 100 - 400 yen.
Sashimi 刺身 - Kigurajyaya きぐら茶屋 - Izakaya 居酒屋

Mackerel is on the right side. It is not marinated / vinegared.

Kigurajyaya きぐら茶屋 - Izakaya 居酒屋 located 2 stations away from Oshiage 押上 Station (Tokyo Skytree) in Tokyo
ThisJapanese style bar restaurant (called Izakaya) offers great seafood, especially sashimi.Their grilled chicken on a skewer is also tasty.This Izakaya is kind of unknown for tourists, because it is not situated in downtown Tokyo.