Boukenshousetsu: Tower of Sushi

Tonight we visited Kappa Sushi. For those unfamilliar with conveyor belt sushi . . .

it is truly a wonder of the world. Sushi, freshly made is sent around on a conveyor belt right next to your table. If you see something you like, you take it and eat it. Plates are color coded for price, the waitress tallies up the plates at the end of the meal.

I had seen this before. In fact there is one back in my hometown, what is new however is the sushi train. You see it on the top track. Each booth is outfitted with a touch screen, you use the screen to pick out some specialty sushi, moments later it comes flying out at you on this little train and stops. You take your sushi, and press a button to send it back.

The quantity of sushi makes the mind reel, and the price is particularly staggering. Unless otherwise noted, a plate of sushi costs a buck. The sizes vary, and some sushi costs more, but generally if you pay 11 dollars you eat no less than 10 plates of sushi.

This being my first sushi venture in Akita, I decided to eat until I was full.

-Shrimp Tempura
I started with an easy to eat sushi I knew I would like that would fill me up a bit. Very satisfying.

-Shako
For my second plate I demanded adventure. These grey/brown shrimp looking things did the trick. They tasted like salt water, and exploded with liquid. Baby lobster? Crawfish? I wasn't sure, later reserch shows it to be a "mantis shrimp".

-Potatoe Salad Cups
Delicious, simple, filling. I forgot to mention by the time we got there I was hungry.

-Fried Shrimp
Both Jessi and I pulled one of these off the conveyor, for fried shrimp they were huge.

-Maguro Puree
Red fish ground up with green onions on top.

-Hamburger
I find it strange we don't find more of this on sushi in the west. I saw beef on sushi and had to get it for the sheer novelty.

-Tuna
Raw fish on rice, mmm mmm good.

-Pudding Custard
By this time everyone else at the table had picked up at least one dessert off the conveyor belt. I decided to get a little for myself, as a midmeal sweet. Again only about a dollar.

-Tuna Salad

-Avocado Shrimp
It took me a while to read the katekana for Avocado, but once I figured it out, I wanted to try it. I had to tell my friend to grab it for me as it went by. The two pieces were stuck together so I ended up putting both of them in my mouth at once. It was an explosion of flavor.