The world's best foreign sushi chef will be chosen! WORLD SUSHI CUP(R) JAPAN 2025 will be held to be held on August 21 and 22 at the Seafood Show

WORLD SUSHI CUP(R) JAPAN 2025 will be held on Thursday, August 21 and Friday, August 22 at the 27th Japan International Seafood Show (sponsored by the Japan Fisheries Association). Thirty sushi chefs from 21 countries and regions are expected to participate in this competition.

Event Overview

Name: WORLD SUSHI CUP(R) JAPAN 2025

Dates: Thursday, August 21 and Friday, August 22, 2025 (2 days)

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 5 & 6

　　　　Special venue in the 27th Japan International Seafood Show

Schedule

August 21 (Thursday)

10:00~ Edomae Sushi Open Competition Opening Ceremony

10:50~ Edomae Sushi Open Competition (Preparation and Sashimi)

13:20~ Edomae Sushi Open Competition (Nigiri)

Friday, August 22

10:00～ Creative Sushi Open Competition Opening Ceremony

10:50～ Creative Sushi Open Competition

15:00～ Awards Ceremony

Organizers: 

Japan Sushi Federation 

World Sushi Skill Institute

■Sponsors

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and  Fisheries of Japan (MAFF), Yamasa Corporation, Hasegawa Corporation, Aoki Hamono Seisakusho Co.,Ltd, Norweigian Seafood Council, Seafood Scotland, J-Oil Mills Inc., Kinjirushi Co.,  Ltd., Mizkan Holdings, Naniwa Abrasive Mfg. Co., Ltd., Ohtsuka Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., Ninomiya Crystal Co., Ltd., Tamanoi Vinegar Co., Ltd., Chiba Tako, Mother Foods Co., Ltd., Marumo Takagi (Century Co.,Ltd.) *in no particular order

■Cooperation

Japan Fisheries Association, Kamemoto Shoten Co., Ltd., Yuki Co., Ltd., Aikyu Co., Ltd., Okamoto Corporation, Kewpie Jyozo Co.,Ltd., Kyoto Katsuobushi Co.,Ltd., Yokoi Vinegar Brewing Co., Ltd., Kazari-maki Sushi Association, Sushi Associations of Gifu, Saitama, Shizuoka, and Chiba Prefectures, *in no particular order

Competition Details

Participantswill be evaluated on hygiene practices, essential Edomae techniques, andpreparation skills across three categories: Preparation, Sashimi,and Nigiri. The top 15 performers will advance to Day 2’s Creative Sushi Open Competition.

Creative Sushi Open Competition: Competitors will compete in hygiene control, cooking techniques, and originality by creating sushi based on a theme decided by the competitors themselves.

■Judges

Masayoshi Kazato, President of the International Sushi Knowledge Certification Association (Goodwill Ambassador for the Promotion of Japanese Food *1)

Hirotoshi Ogawa, Director, International Sushi Knowledge Certification Association (Goodwill Ambassador of Japanese Food *1)

Gentaro Yamazaki Certified Instructor, International Sushi Knowledge Certification Association, etc.

*1...The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) appoints people who promote Japanese food and food culture to be "Goodwill Ambassadors for the Promotion of Japanese Food" in order to effectively promote Japanese food and food culture and the appeal of Japanese agricultural, forestry and marine products and foods both at home and abroad, and to help increase exports of Japanese agricultural, forestry and marine products and foods.

Scheduled participants (30 sushi chefs from 21 countries and regions are scheduled to participate.)

United States

Ruben Pantaleon (Jimoto Omakase(USA))

Italy

Clayton Kawamura (Cadoro(Italy))

India

Thoudam Lamjingba (Openhaus Community(Armenia))

Ukraine

Andrii Brezytskyi (Private Chef(Ukraine))

Oleh Mainich (Restauracja Hoshi Sushi(Poland))

Australia

Simon Cai (Green Shiso Japanese Restaurant(Australia))

Austria

Thiago Krobath (Fish at 55 (England))

Canada

Changlong Yue (Chef Yue Culinary(Canada/China))

Sri Lanka

Kurukulasuriya SHEHAN LAKSHAN FERNANDO (Goma Resturant(Italy))

Czech Republic

Jaroslav Karasek (KAIZEN sushi restaurant(Czech Republic))

Nepal

Govinda Thapa(Alex Sushi(Norway))

Norway

Mikhail Khan (We Come In Peace(Norway))

Brazil

Mauricio Caio (Ichiban(Brazil))

Allan Vitor Beckmann (Sushi Bar Morita(Brazil))

Valter Jose dos Santos (Akira Cozinha Japonesa(Brazil))

Wdson Duarte Vaz (Sushi Vaz restaurant(Brazil))

DarleiSantosDa Silva (Akira Cozinha Japonesa(Brazil))

France

Pierre-Mael Belaifa (Sushi4u(France))

Clement Philippe Krajenska (Mido Paris(France))

Bulgaria

Martin Vladimirov (Happy Ead(Bulgaria))

Poland

Sebastian Wilk (Youmiko sushi(Norway))

Portugal

Omkar Thapa Magar (Private Chef(Norway))

Mexico

Joel Joedan Molgado Martinez (Asai Kaiseki Cuisine(Mexico))

Morocco

Anflous Jawad Anflous (Restaurant soy(Morocco))

Fouad Ouahmane (Hotel THE SECRET Solden(Austria))

Lithuania

Kestutis Koknajevas (Four Seasons Geneva - Izumi Restaurant(Switzerland))

Airis Zapasnikas (Sabi Omakase Oslo / Sabi Sushi Vika(Norway))

Romania

Sorin Zaharia (ZEN SUSHI(Romania))

BogdanIosif Cosma (RadissonBlu Cluj-Napoca(Romania))

China (Hong Kong)

Chun YatLau (Nikko Sushi UK(UK))

Previous Tournament

Previous Competition(1)

Previous Competition (2)

Creative Sushi

Edomae Sushi

About the participants of past competitions

The following sushi chefs from around the world have participated in past competitions.

Alon Than (Izumi Sushi (Poland), overall winner in 2015)

He is a chef and owner of several Japanese restaurants in Poland, including Izumi Sushi, and has been running his own omakase sushi restaurant in Warsaw, Poland since 2020.

Tai Koon (STANDING SUSHI BAR (Singapore), overall winner in 2018)

Head Chef of STANDING SUSHI BAR in Singapore.

Roger Asakil Joya (Sabi Omakase (Norway), multi-year participant since 2013)

Co-owner of 45 sushi restaurants in Norway, including Sabi Omakase.