Mutsu

"After being taken care of at Kansai for two years, I moved to “Mutsu” in San Mateo, about a 30-minute drive south from San Francisco. Today, San Mateo is home to many sushi bars, izakayas, and ramen shops, making it one of the largest concentrations of Japanese restaurants around Silicon Valley, but back then, there were only Mutsu and one other restaurant."

"At the next bank, there was a stroke of luck as a regular at Mutsu was acquainted with the loan officer, and we managed to secure a loan. However, even with the maximum loan, funds were still insufficient. Remembering another regular customer who once said, “Contact me if you ever decide to start your own business,” I boldly gave a call. Although they had already returned to Japan, they agreed to help, allowing us to overcome the greatest hurdle of fundraising."