Upgrade the Stage, Keep the Craft Pure

"I had fulfilling days at Yanagi Sushi, but after about two years, my natural restlessness started to surface again."

"“Let’s sell this place and move to a slightly smaller one. With a shop that fits about ten people at a counter, maybe we could manage with just the two of us” became more frequent. Finding that property was coincidental. While driving near Keigetsu, I saw a conveniently located vacant store next to a Starbucks Coffee."

"It’s not that we’re particularly contrary, but we ended up turning away from trends. The result of sticking to doing what we first want to do without worrying about the surroundings is our real feeling. When a new Japanese restaurant opened near Keigetsu, Steve once asked if it was a competitor. At that time, I just briefly answered, “No, it isn’t,” but I regret not explaining more thoroughly."

"(So many customers loved us this much.) Offering kaiseki cuisine in Silicon Valley was unprecedented and a great challenge, but we received the support of our customers. Looking back on this journey, I felt deep gratitude."