"Kaiten" means rotate in Japanese

And you never know what will be rotated into your view at this authentic Japanese restaurant. Such is the variety of dishes on offer at the lengthily-named Sakura Kaiten Sushi II, you can find ingredients like crab miso and Mentaiko (cod roe) used in their sushi.

There is usually a line that stretches out into Melbourne CBD’s Lonsdale St. The staff are fast-operating, and will usher you in when a seat is free.

Watching fresh sushi being made

A mouthwatering selection of nigiri and gunkan

Uniquely, Sakura Kaiten didn’t follow a set pricing model. Unlike some sushi train restaurants which have a blanket price for all plates, you pay a different price here depending on what you have. It’s overall more expensive than the average sushi train restaurant, but what you pay for is artisan, authentic quality. It’s also a more accurate way to charge for the huge variety of dishes you can choose from.

We would recommend trying different parts of the menu here, as the categories include Grilled, Raw Fish, Sakura Flowers, Ships, Rolls and Hand Rolls. There is also comfort Japanese staples like udon, takowasa and plenty of side dishes.

Watch our experience on TikTok.

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Starting a new chapter

Dear community,

I hope that many of you have enjoyed my content and made the most of your time in Sydney.

On 9 May 2026, Koalamate will close.

For enquiries about what’s to come, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram.

Thank you for your support.

Garry