Seven Japanese restaurants where you can celebrate International Sushi Day on the Costa del Sol and inland Malaga towns

Broadly speaking, it's a piece of raw fish on a ball of rice, but this gastronomic combination has had a wave of success halfway across the world. Including in Malaga, where sushi has become an essential dish in the diet of its residents and visiting. Today, Wednesday 18 June, is International Sushi Day: an ideal occasion to highlight some of the businesses that are doing it best in the province, from classics to experts in fusion cuisine.

Of all the Japanese restaurants in the province, one stands out from the rest. At least in the eyes of the critics. Nintai in Marbella is the only establishment of its kind to be awarded a Michelin star for the quality of its food and service. The Japanese haute cuisine restaurant was created by waiter Marcos Granda and is managed by Christopher Manchado. It has an omakase bar with seating for twelve diners and only one pass, as all customers start eating at the same time. The experience begins with a first course consisting of traditional Japanese style dishes and continues with raw fish cuts that vary each day - depending on what the local market has to offer. In terms of drinks, Nintai has around 80 brands of sake to satisfy even the most demanding palates.

One of the latest establishments to open its doors in the province is Noyane, a Japanese restaurant located next to the Hard Rock Marbella hotel. At the helm of the business is Richard Sandoval, who offers guests a culinary journey that celebrates the rich flavours and traditions of Asia. The chef, who is from Mexico but spent part of his career in Asia, has prepared a Latin-Asian menu that mixes Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Indonesian, Singaporean, Vietnamese and Korean cuisines. The menu combines sushi and sashimi with curry dishes and different wok creations.

In the eastern part of Malaga city is Misuto, a gastronomy project created by three professionals and friends: Alejandro Salido, Rui Junior and Alejandro Contento. Located in Pedregalejo, it has an interesting sushi menu, complemented by a fusion cuisine menu featuring Japanese dishes merged with Malaga cuisine. The quality of the food and service is demonstrated by its appearance on this year's list of the best 'casual' restaurants in Europe; published every year by the Opinionated About Dining (OAD) guide. Among its star dishes, undoubtedly, the tuna belly uramaki, a dish that cannot be taken off the menu, and the spicy salmon tartar with avocado, tempura crunch and lime mayo.

One of the most outstanding restaurants on the west coast is Kamura Sushi, a small restaurant opened in front of the Los Boliches municipal market in Fuengirola. The business is run by Nakamura Sam, born in Takarajima, a small island in the south of Japan, who runs a small bar that transports his customers to a classic sushi bar in the centre of Tokyo. His menu includes a wide variety of traditional dishes, including sashimi, uramaki, nigiri, usuzukuri and hosomaki.

Nakara is one of those places where they master fusion to perfection and stand out for their combination of Japanese and Mediterranean cuisines. Creator and chef, Jesús López, decided to open the restaurant in Estación de Cártama after the pandemic and has since won over multitudes of followers. The restaurant, which has a 'solete' award in the Repsol Guide, stands out for its deep respect for Japanese cuisine and among customers' favourite dishes are: Japanese pepito with tuna belly, fried green pepper and quail egg; spicy volcano of prawns in tempura; and tuna belly tartar with fried egg and fresh grated truffle. As they define themselves, they are: an ode to Japan.

A simple place, in the heart of the historic centre, which is running things very well. Ronda 14 has tapas and sushi menus to satisfy a range of tastes. Mario Céspedes, who also has two restaurants in Madrid and another in Asturias, is the benchmark for Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. In his restaurant, he offers specialities such as truffled red tuna niguiri or the butterfish, prawn and chipotle roll.

In Antequera in the north of Malaga province is Nela Sushi Bar, a project headed up by Richard García and renowned for its fusion of Japanese, Latin and Spanish dishes. Among its star dishes are the almadraba tuna maki or the summer roll, made with salmon, avocado, mango, eel sauce and mango coulis.