Araya Shouten

(OUR FISHMONGER)

Meet the Man Behind the Fish

Araya Yuichiro

Every restaurant says its fish is fresh. Ours has a fishmonger’s name on it. Sushi to Sumi is the sister restaurant of Araya Shouten, the renowned fish shop at Tanglin Mall founded by Araya-San.

Born in Hokkaido and the grandson of a commercial fisherman from Kushiro Port, Araya-San spent over 13 years in Japan’s seafood trade before bringing his expertise to Singapore.

He isn’t a chef. He’s the person chefs buy from.

(DIRECT FROM JAPAN)

From Japan's Fishing Ports to Your Plate

That distinction matters more than it sounds. Araya-San sources directly from fishery ports across Japan, including Choshi, Hakodate, Shimonoseki, and Nemuro—often before the seafood even reaches Tokyo’s Toyosu Market.

He personally visits these ports and works with trusted suppliers, teaching them how to handle each fish immediately after the catch. From gutting and blood removal to nerve-spiking and rapid chilling, every step is carried out specifically for his orders.

Everyone else’s fish from the same boat ships the standard way.

That distinction matters more than it sounds. Araya-San sources directly from fishery ports across Japan. Choshi, Hakodate, Shimonoseki, Nemuro, often ahead of, or entirely around, Tokyo’s Toyosu Market.

He visits the ports himself and teaches his suppliers exactly how to handle each fish in the first minutes after the catch: guts out immediately, blood flushed from the flesh, nerves spiked on live fish to stop rigor before it starts. That work is done for his orders only.

Everyone else’s fish from the same boat ships out the standard way.

His first major client, back in 2012, was a Michelin-starred restaurant at Marina Bay Sands. Serious kitchens across Singapore have bought from him since.

Araya Shouten opened during the circuit breaker in 2020 so that home cooks could buy from the same supply line and Sushi to Sumi exists so you can taste what that supply line does when a trained hand cuts it, presses it over rice, or holds it over binchotan, Japanese white charcoal.

One standard, two counters. The shop proves the fish. The bar performs it.

If something on our counter stops you mid-bite, a shibudai in season, a kimidai fatter than any you’ve had, the odds are good you can take the same fish home. Araya Shouten is at Tanglin Mall, six days a week, and if he doesn’t stock what you want, he’ll import it.