So you're on your way to Tokyo. You've read up on all the great sushi chefs. You've watched the Jiro documentary so many times you rerun it in your sleep. You're primed and hungry, ready for the full, high-end experience. But there's just one problem: you haven't actually made any reservations.

A fatal mistake? Not necessarily. Booking all the very top sushiya (sushi restaurant) requires massive persistence, some over a year in advance. A handful, such as Sushi Saito or Sugita, are out of reach without personal introductions. Others may be easier to arrange, even at fairly short notice, especially if they're new and still flying under the foodie radar. Sushi Wakon, which opened in May, is among that number.

Royal lineage: Chef Masashi Yamaguchi's nigiri sushi is rooted in the style of sushi legend Jiro Ono. | ROBBIE SWINNERTON
Royal lineage: Chef Masashi Yamaguchi's nigiri sushi is rooted in the style of sushi legend Jiro Ono. | ROBBIE SWINNERTON