TASTE OF JAPAN
503 N PINELLAS AVE · TARPON SPRINGS · Pinellas County · FL 34689
Inspection Summary
Violation Summary
Counts reported for this inspection visit.
See what changed since the last inspection.
Sign in or create a free account to browse without ads and see newly cited, repeated, and no-longer-cited violation categories.
All DBPR Inspector Observations
18 full violation description(s) documented by the inspector during this visit.
High Priority 10
12A-13-4High Priority – Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Dishwasher put dirty dishes in dish machine then took clean dishes out without washing hands, discussed proper hand washing procedure with operator **Warning**
12A-17-4High Priority – Employee rubbed hands together for less than 10-15 seconds while washing hands. Cook rubbed hands together for 7 seconds, discussed proper hand washing procedure with operator **Warning**
50-08-7High Priority – Establishment operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator must obtain a public food service license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within 60 days. Submit a license application and payment to DBPR/Bureau of Central Intake Unit, 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783. To apply online or obtain an application for license visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ **Warning**
01D-01-5High Priority – Nonexempt fish offered raw or undercooked has not undergone proper parasite destruction. Fish must be fully cooked or discarded. Fresh salmon used for sushi, operator received letter from food vendor, printed it out and showed inspector **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
08A-17-6High Priority – Raw animal foods not properly separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature when stored in a freezer – not all products commercially packaged. Raw beef above prepared crab Rangoon in upright freezer **Warning**
12A-02-4High Priority – Server handled soiled dishes or utensils and then picked up plated food, served food, or prepared a beverage without washing hands. Server cleaning off dirty plates from customers then touching clean dishes, discussed proper hand washing procedure with operator **Warning**
12A-09-4High Priority – Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Cook handled raw shrimp then touched clean plate to put food on to be served to a customer, discussed proper hand washing procedure with operator **Warning**
01B-02-5High Priority – Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Sushi rice **Warning**
03A-02-5High Priority – Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. tuna (45F – Cold Holding); crab (45F – Cold Holding); white fish (48F – Cold Holding) in top rail of reach in cooler, operator put ice bags on product rice (44F – Cold Holding) in walk in cooler, employee removed lid **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
03B-01-6High Priority – Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. rice (95F – Hot Holding) sitting on cook line **Warning**
Intermediate 1
51-16-7Intermediate – No plan review submitted and approved – renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Ice machine added by back door not on plans **Warning**
Basic 7
22-20-5Basic – Accumulation of black/pink mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. **Warning**
14-01-5Basic – Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Containers in bins of rice, flour with no handle **Warning**
06-09-1Basic – Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. Salmon still in original packaging thawed in drawer on cook line **Warning**
12B-02-4Basic – Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Employee eating in prep area **Warning**
13-03-4Basic – Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Cooks with no hair restraints on, cooks put hats on **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**
14-11-5Basic – Equipment in poor repair. Upright reach in cooler gaskets torn **Warning**
14-69-4Basic – Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. In chest freezers **Warning**
Inspector observations synchronized from DBPR on October 24, 2026 12:18 PM.
Violation category totals
2 observation(s)
2 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
5 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
3 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
1 observation(s)
Inspection records and inspector observations reflect conditions documented by DBPR at the time of the inspection and may not reflect current conditions.