The Miami Seafood Restaurant Where Fresh Fish Is Flown In Daily From Japan

Many sushi chefs believe the country where the fish was caught is incredibly consequential, and that Japan in particular is the best of the best. The workers at SHINGO — a sushi restaurant outside downtown Miami in Coral Gables, Florida — know this fact all too well. The popular omakase-style establishment sources its fish fresh from Tokyo, Japan; serving customers seafood from thousands of miles away five days a week. This remarkable endeavor is carried out by SHINGO's trusted couriers, who acquire fish directly from the iconic Toyosu Fish Market in Japan and transport them via truck and plane to Miami each day. 

The fish that are purchased from the Japanese market are all personally selected by Chef Shingo Akikuni, but he's not afraid to get a little help from his friends. Akikuni explained in an interview with the Miami New Times that this process is made possible due to the connections he made during his time training under his mentor in Tokyo, though he first learned the art of sushi-making from his father and grandfather in Osaka (often called "the kitchen of Japan"). "I would go to the fish market every morning with my sushi chef, and I was able to establish the relationships that I have now from that time," Akikuni revealed. "The relationships that I have with my purveyors allow for honest conversations about what the best catches are in the market that day, according to season."

It's hard to pick one standout from SHINGO's ever-changing menu of seafood, but many fans of the restaurant have noted that the tuna shipped in fresh from Japan is so good that it helped make their dinner among the best dining experiences they've ever had. However, just a quick search online can tell you that countless different seafood dishes — from the eel to the sea urchin — have gotten rave reviews for their remarkable taste and freshness.

Needless to say, the use of fresh Japanese ingredients likely helped earn SHINGO high marks from The Michelin Guide; earning one Michelin Star in both 2024 and 2025. However, while it's widely believed that a chef is only as good as his ingredients, having great chefs has also played a major role in SHINGO's success since its opening in 2023. Alongside Chef Akikuni, sous chef Yuta Sakakibara plays a major role in SHINGO's omakase-style dinner each night, as both chefs prepare each course and guide customers through the remarkable dining experience. If you're a fan of high-end alcohol pairings with your meals, SHINGO has you covered in that department as well. The restaurant is known to source its sake and wine (the latter of which is known to be a better pairing for sushi) from Japan as well, with the Sohoma Sake Brewery, in particular, being cited as one of the restaurant's providers.