Kura Sushi has secret menu items in Japan, and here’s how to find them

Get a taste of some rare hidden gems enjoyed by those in the know.

Back in the day, ordering at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant was as simple as picking out whatever dish caught your eye from the belt as it passed by. These days, while the system still exists, most customers choose to order from the electronic touch panel display instead, but if you’re at the popular Kura Sushi chain of restaurants, doing that might mean you end up missing out on some secret menu items not listed on the display.

The reason why these dishes aren’t listed is because they’re part of a “secret menu” that aims to reduce food waste. As a result, the products offered and their timing vary depending on the day, and though sometimes they might be displayed on the touch panel, other times they’ll just be quietly flowing along on the rotating conveyor belt.

According to the official website, the best times to encounter these secret dishes are immediately after the store opens, and at the beginning and end of well-stocked limited-time menu “fairs”. This prompted our reporter Natsuki Gojo to stop by a branch as soon as it opened, which happened to be on the first day of the “Exquisite Tuna Fair”. At this time, though, there was hardly any sushi to be found on the conveyor belt, but a quick look at the touch panel revealed an unusual option, Arajiru, so she immediately ordered it.

This is a secret item that’s relatively easy to come across, so customers might mistake it for being on the regular menu. Arajiru is a general term for soups that make use of leftover fish parts, and this one contains surprisingly large pieces of fish, giving it a satisfying, delicious flavour.

Pleased with the soup discovery, Natsuki took another peek at the touch panel, where she discovered something that wasn’t previously there — Fatty Tuna Sushi Roll.

While tuna sushi rolls are on the regular menu, fatty tuna rolls are a secret item, and something you should definitely order if you get the opportunity.

▼ The filling was wonderfully soft and luxurious.

It was so delicious Natsuki went to order another serving, but that’s when she discovered something interesting…

▼ …it was no longer available!

She’d heard that secret menu items are only available in very limited numbers, so you should order them as soon as you find them to avoid missing out. She was glad she got the chance to try the fatty tuna roll, but with nothing else catching her eye on the touch panel, she turned her attention to the conveyor belt, where she spotted another secret:

▼ The Special Seafood Gunkan Sushi.

This sushi was loaded with seafood, and not available on the touch panel display, making it even more of a special find. It was another delicious dish made even more tasty by the fact that it’s not always available, and after Natsuki got a taste of it, she sincerely hopes to encounter it again.

Now that she’s discovered the hidden gems on the secret menu, she’ll definitely be seeking them out next time she visits Kura Sushi, before she places her order for the chain’s new cake party train, complete with music and flashing lights.

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