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How to become a Sushi Chef

Makes sushi to serve to customers in a sushi restaurant.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start, but qualifications such as licensed cook (chorishi), specialist cook or cooking skills certification help when looking for work. Some people gain them after starting. To become a fully skilled sushi chef, you start as an apprentice at a sushi restaurant or similar and need a period of training. Through training you master the skills learned from the owner and senior chefs and sharpen them through your own practice. Once you have the skills and your craft improves, you can open your own restaurant. You handle food for customers, so you need a polite manner and a clean appearance, and you need to cooperate with fellow chefs. The work is done standing and involves a lot of work with water, so a certain level of fitness is needed.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Sushi Chef?

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start, but qualifications such as licensed cook (chorishi), specialist cook or cooking skills certification help when looking for work. Some people gain them after starting. To become a fully skilled sushi chef, you start as an apprentice at a sushi restaurant or similar and need a period of training. Through training you master the skills learned from the owner and senior chefs and sharpen them through your own practice. Once you have the skills and your craft improves, you can open your own restaurant. You handle food for customers, so you need a polite manner and a clean appearance, and you need to cooperate with fellow chefs. The work is done standing and involves a lot of work with water, so a certain level of fitness is needed.

How much does a Sushi Chef earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,790,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Food and drink preparatory workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Sushi Chef?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 10% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定); Vocational college (専門学校) course: Cooking.

Will AI change the work of a Sushi Chef?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026