Dreaming of following in the footsteps of his sushi chef father, the chef moved to Kyoto to learn the basics of Japanese cuisine. The welcome with a cup of deep-steamed green tea is a tip of the hat to the chef’s Shizuoka roots. Clasping to heart his father’s maxim that ‘cooking is self-expression’, he expresses himself through goma-ae made with freshly roasted, freshly ground sesame. The calligraphy of the restaurant’s name was written by the chef’s mother; the vessels for sake were crafted by his father.