Omakase

Omakase (お任せ, "I leave it to you") is an ordering format in Japanese gastronomy in which the guest entrusts the entire selection of dishes to the chef. The term derives from the verb makaseru (任せる, "to entrust, to leave to") with the honorific prefix o- (お). In the context of the sushiya (寿司屋, sushi restaurant), omakase today denotes a multi-course meal whose composition, sequence, and pacing the itamae (板前, sushi chef) determines at his own discretion — adapted to season, daily supply, and the guest's responses at the counter.¹

Etymology

The word consists of the honorific prefix o- (お) and the nominalized form of the verb makaseru (任せる). Makaseru means to transfer a decision or task to another person, with the connotation of trust in that person's judgment. In writing, omakase is usually rendered in hiragana (おまかせ) or as お任せ with the kanji 任 — a character carrying the meanings "responsibility" and "confidence." As an ordering phrase at the counter, a brief "o-makase shimasu" (おまかせします, "I leave it to you") suffices, signaling the complete transfer of menu composition to the chef.

Historical development

Origins in Edomae sushi

The roots of omakase lie in Edomae sushi (江戸前鮨) of the late Edo period. The nigiri (握り寿司) that spread through Edo during the Bunsei years (1818–1830) were sold at street stalls (yatai, 屋台). These yatai had a frontage of roughly six shaku (尺, approximately 180 centimeters); four to five guests stood crowded together, ordering three to four kan (貫) of nigiri according to their own preference — the so-called okonomi (お好み, free choice). The selection was limited and the pace fast. Under these circumstances, some guests left the sequence of nigiri to the sushi chef, and from this practice the core of what would later be called omakase developed.²

From okonomi to omakase

During the Taishō era, the sushi trade moved from the street into permanent shop premises with counter service. Guests continued to order by okonomi: wooden boards on the wall displayed the available neta (ネタ, topping) of the day, and the guest chose piece by piece. This principle remained the standard for decades.²

As a distinct ordering format, omakase emerged only in the postwar period. Two developments converged: improvements in cold-chain logistics and distribution multiplied the range of available neta, so that guests no longer knew the names of all the fish. At the same time, upscale sushiya established themselves in Ginza and Nihonbashi, serving as venues for business dinners and client entertainment. On such occasions, ordering each course individually was impractical — it would have interrupted the conversation. The formula "put together something suitable" became the new convention.² A key figure in this development was Fujimoto Shigezō (藤本繁蔵, 1902–c. 1988), a legendary sushi chef known as "Sushi no Tennō" (鮨の天皇, "Emperor of Sushi"). Fujimoto is credited with establishing the omakase principle — the complete transfer of selection and sequence to the chef — as a deliberate ordering format, together with the plain white hinoki counter as a stage for the itamae's work.^3, 4

Consolidation and transformation

During the bubble economy of the late 1980s, omakase became widely understood as a term. Until the early 2000s, however, it was still regarded as an ordering format for sushi novices; experienced guests preferred okonomi, which was perceived as more connoisseurial.²

From the mid-2000s onward, the emphasis within omakase shifted from a pure nigiri sequence toward a menu combining appetizers (otsumami, おつまみ, accompanying dishes) and nigiri. The availability of higher-quality sake played a role: better rice wines demanded more sophisticated accompanying dishes before the nigiri. In parallel, the Michelin Guide Tōkyō (first published 2007) drove further formalization. Many sushiya transitioned to fixed-course menus at set prices, not least to offer international guests without Japanese language skills a predictable experience.²

Structure and format

An omakase at an upscale sushiya typically comprises eight to twelve nigiri, often preceded by several otsumami courses — [sashimi](/en/glossary/sashimi) (刺身), grilled or steamed preparations, soup. The exact composition varies by season and daily supply. The itamae responds to the guest's preferences and pace; an omakase is therefore not a rigid sequence but a progression shaped at the counter.¹

Seating at the counter (kaunta, カウンター) is essential to omakase. The proximity to the chef enables an immediate interplay: the guest watches the preparation, the chef observes the reaction. This form of communication — half verbal, half gestural — is a core element of the omakase experience, distinguishing it from a mere tasting menu.

Distinction from okonomi

Okonomi and omakase are opposing terms. With okonomi, the guest orders individual neta in a self-chosen sequence and quantity. With omakase, the chef decides. In practice at today's sushiya, okonomi has become rare; most upscale establishments offer exclusively omakase as a set course.² At some traditionally minded sushiya, okonomi remains available after the omakase course for additional orders.

International spread

Since the 2010s, omakase has established itself as an international gastronomic term. The word was added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2023, defined as a series of small courses at a fixed price, the selection of which is left to the chef.⁵ In New York, London, Sydney, and other cities, numerous omakase counters have opened, frequently at price points above $200. The term has detached from its original association with sushi: omakase formats now appear in tempura, yakitori, and kaiseki (懐石) dining, and occasionally outside Japanese cuisine altogether.¹

Within Japan itself, the term is now also used beyond gastronomy — in hair salons, for instance, or for services where the selection is left to the professional.¹