The owner, Kenno Sakai, is 31 years old and says with a smile, "I hope that people of my generation who were not familiar with Japanese cuisine before will enjoy it. After laying the foundations at Kikunoi Ryotei, Sakai took a rather unique path. He went to New York to work at a sushi restaurant, and after returning to Japan, he participated in the launch of the innovative restaurant LURRA˚. Just before setting up his own restaurant, he worked in the kitchen of Kyo Seika Chinese Restaurant in Okazaki.

Japanese people today eat bread and ramen on a daily basis. If eating habits are changing rapidly, Japanese cuisine should be changing as well. We consider what we eat in our daily lives as part of Japanese cuisine, and we want to incorporate ingredients that are actually delicious to eat."

Diced bell peppers lurk in the lower layer of yam jelly, and seared casserole is garnished with the aroma of burdock root and the sourness of island rakkyo. The two appetizers have the essence of Chinese cuisine, yet there is not the slightest hint of discomfort, and seasonal Japanese cuisine is there to be found. In the 12-course menu, ingredients reminiscent of one's hometown can be found here and there, including Aomori Prefecture's mashed rice in an earthenware pot. I would like to introduce vegetables from the Tohoku region, such as thin bamboo shoots called nemagaridake and wild vegetables called mizu, which are not often seen in the Kansai region," he says. Sakai's cuisine is as vibrant as the bamboo shoots, and we hope to enjoy it season after season.

Store owner, Mr. Kenno Sakai
Born in Aomori Prefecture in 1990. He spent 10 years at Kikunoi ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant), then moved on to sushi restaurants in New York, Kyo, Seika, and LURRA˚ in Okazaki, and gained experience in a variety of genres.