One of the best meals I had in Japan was in an Airport.

This was not only one of the best meals I had in an airport, but it might have been one of the best meals I had last year, period.

In 2024 my husband and I were getting ready to embark on our extended honeymoon in Asia. Other than the Middle East, I’d never truly been to Asia until this trip. We’d start in Singapore, make our way to Thailand, then cap it all off in Hong Kong. To get to Singapore from chicago we flew through Tokyo Narita Airport, where I had one of the best meals of my life, certainly the best meal I’d ever had in an airport. 

Enter Kyotatsu, a no-frills traditional sushi spot in Terminal 1. With a couple hours to kill, Gil and I ordered the full omakase without knowing what we had gotten ourselves into. We presumed the traditional nigiri omakase platter, but were pleasantly surprised when dish after dish kept getting sent out from the kitchen and sushi bar. A mixed platter with baby squid and bluefin tuna. A life-changing soup with fall apart pieces of tuna. The quintessential black miso cod. And of course, the extended nigiri omakase that just about brought a tear to my dry, itchy, jet-lagged eyes. I was blown away bite after bite, and considering this was quite literally just a layover meal before our final destination, if this was a sign of meals to come, our taste buds were in for a delightful discovery.

With our sights set on Singapore and all the foods it’s famous for (Chili crab! Laksa!), this layover meal was one of our best. While flying into Haneda has its benefits - close to the city enter, easy to navigate, conveniently located - flying into Narita is worth the visit for Kyotatsu alone. Although we weren’t staying in Japan for that trip, I’ve since been twice, and can confidently say Kyotatsu stacks up again any other sushi meal I had in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto or elsewhere.