The Sushi Bus: Dinner on the Go in a New Tokyo Sightseeing Experience

Enjoying Tokyo’s Special Views and Seafood

Tourists visiting Tokyo have a new and exciting sightseeing option to try out on their trip: the Sushi Bus. Bringing together two favorites among international visitors—open-top bus tours and conveyor-belt sushi—this one-of-a-kind offering is sure to prove irresistible for those seeking memorable Japanese experiences.

The views of Tokyo Tower and the city’s many skyscrapers in the open air are exhilarating! (© Nippon.com)

The sushi plates glide by to the backdrop of Tokyo Station and other iconic sights. (© Nippon.com)

The Sushi Bus began operating its 70-minute tours on October 10, 2026. Passengers sit on the bus’s open-air upper deck, taking in the panoramic views as they cruise through the city, all while sampling all-you-can-eat sushi served on a conveyor belt.

The tour departs from near Tokyo Station and passes by some of the city’s best-known landmarks, such as Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, and Asakusa’s Kaminarimon Gate. As the scenery rolls by, so do the plates of sushi. With picture-perfect moments at every turn, the tour is especially delightful for social media enthusiasts.

Although the sushi is all-you-can-eat, quality is a top priority; fresh seafood delivered directly from Toyosu Market is used. Passengers can choose from around a dozen varieties of sushi, including classics like tuna, salmon, sea bream, shrimp, octopus, and tamago omelet, all a cut above what you would typically expect from a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. The selection is set to be expanded in the future.

A rotating conveyor belt encircles the seating area. (© Nippon.com)

Freshly prepared sushi is taken to the upper deck on a food-delivery lift. (© Nippon.com)

A natural concern is whether soy sauce might spill from the small plates as the bus sways. However, with the vehicle traveling at a maximum of around 30 kilometers per hour on city streets, the ride is smooth and spills are not a problem. Also, in the event of rainy weather, the open top can be covered with a transparent roof, keeping passengers dry and the sushi from going to waste. Further added comfort is provided by air-conditioning vents installed at each seat and shades that can be pulled out to block direct sunlight.

A giant close-up image of a tuna sushi piece wraps around the 12-meter long bus. Not only does this serve as an advertisement while on the road, but the attention it attracts from pedestrians, who stop to take photos and wave, also adds to the fun for the passengers. On the Sushi Bus, they are not merely spectators but themselves part of the spectacle.

Shades can be extended to shield passengers from sunlight. (© Nippon.com)

The bus’s exterior is doing its job in the PR department, judging from the number of people asking about the trips—and the possibility of renting out the entire bus—after viewing it on the road. (© Nippon.com)

Taking the Restaurant Bus Format to the Next Level

This unprecedented “mobile sushi restaurant” took two and a half years to develop, with extensive safety testing and repeated refinements to the rotating conveyor mechanism to ensure stable operation. Investment to date has totaled some ¥100 million. The vehicle itself belongs to Willer Across, a bus operator that also runs restaurant bus services in various locations across Japan.

The lower deck is a dedicated kitchen space. (© Nippon.com)

Tests were conducted more than 100 times to ensure that the plates stay in place even if the bus brakes suddenly. (© Nippon.com)

The Sushi Bus operates five tours a day, with 20 seats available on each 70-minute ride. Fares start at ¥16,000, making it a relatively expensive experience. Nevertheless, demand for these premium seats is strong. According to Yano Tomoyuki, who heads Sushi Bus, reservations are coming in steadily and the tours are often fully booked.

“Currently, seven out of ten of our customers are Japanese, but we’re receiving more inquiries from international tourists, our main target,” says Yano. “We aim to remodel more restaurant buses and increase the number of tours, and eventually to expand our services to other cities.”

If you’re looking for unique experiences on your trip to Tokyo, make sure to add the Sushi Bus to your list.

The open-top design offers unique thrills, such as when passing directly beneath overhead structures with only inches to spare. (© Nippon.com)

The eye-catching sushi plates are not for sale, but many passengers say they’d love to buy one as a souvenir. (© Nippon.com)

To learn more and make reservations, visit the Sushi Bus website: https://sushi-bus.com.

(Originally published in Japanese. Reporting, text, and photos by Nippon.com.)