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Sliced raw fish placed on a small cake of rice, or SUSHI (寿司), has become a well-known and popular food item all over the world. Originally, Japanese SUSHI was considered a luxury and expensive meal, which would only be eaten on special occasions. However, the fishing and food processing industries became more efficient, and it became possible to safely transport and deliver large quantities of fresh seafood to anywhere in Japan -- and larger quantities made the prices go down as well. Then, in 1958 in Osaka, a local businessman visited a beer factory, where lines of bottles moved-along on a conveyor belt to be filled-up, and he got the idea to do the same thing with small plates of SUSHI. Thus, was born the first KAITEN-SUSHI (回転寿司) restaurant, otherwise known as "SUSHI-go-round", Rotation SUSHI, SUSHI train, etc. The main characteristic KAITEN-SUSHI is the conveyor belt, which is ingeniously installed so it can be easily reached by sitting at a counter or in a booth, and the atmosphere is informal, relaxed, and family-friendly. The SUSHI and other food items are all placed on small plates, which "travel" around the restaurant on the conveyor belt, and customers can freely pick them up as they pass by. The plates have several designs, which let you know how much the food placed on them costs -- the least expensive dishes are around 100 yen (very cheap!) Once you have finished eating, the bill is calculated by simply counting the number of plates which have been used. There are several large KAITEN-SUSHI restaurants in Yokosuka, including national chains such as: SUSHI-RO, KURA-SUSHI, and HAMA-SUSHI; and they have parking lots, so access is easy using an automobile. In future articles we will take a closer look at KAITEN-SUSHI, including menu items, how to order, "do's and don'ts", etc. -- We hope you will soon get the chance to enjoy this unique and delicious Japanese way of eating and drinking!

written by Goodfield