Owing to the success of SUSHIZANMAI Honten, where quality sushi was available at affordable prices all year round, more and more shops offering sushi and seafood bowls began popping up. Although there were some worrying that an increase of competitors will negatively affect our revenue, I figured, that they would bring in more customers for all involved. If each of the shops utilized their strengths, that would raise the bar for the industry, thus creating a synergy and attracting even more customers. As expected, customers began turning their attention to us through our new-found surge in popularity, with newspapers, magazines, and TV media following suit and preparing their own features on Tsukiji as the Mecca of Sushi or the Seafood Bowl Hot Spot. Additionally, sightseeing buses began offering tours for foreign visitors, further popularizing Tsukiji overseas.

The previous chill wrapped around Tsukiji has now been filled with brimming visitors. This was certainly a sight to see. Enjoy quality fish and return happy. The memories of when I had lost around 80 or so businesses due to the economic crash bubbled up, as well as the resolve to start from scratch with a tiny 33 sqm sized sushi shop.

Before long, I began to receive offers from customers to open another shop in their vicinity. So, I first opened shops in Monzen-Nakacho, Kameido, and Kinshicho, and later, in Tokyo’s entertainment districts of Ginza, Roppongi, and Shibuya. This meant SUSHIZANMAI took on challenges outside of Tsukiji.

<<In April 2010, the first of nationwide shops opened in Tenjin in Fukuoka>>

When launching the Tenjin shop my goal was to deliver the Tastes of Tsukiji. I wanted the people of Fukuoka, who are known to have very sharp taste, to enjoy the Tastes of Tsukiji cultivated by SUSHIZANMAI. What surprised me when I visited Fukuoka were customers drinking sake with seafood as appetizers. They kept asking for ochazuke* to finish their meal.
*Green tea with dashi soup stock over cooked rice. In Fukuoka, it seemed to be customary to finish the evening of drinking with ochazuke. In Kanto Region the last selection on the drinking menu was sushi, but the custom in Fukuoka seemed to differ.

However, we did not include ochazuke in our menu. We wanted to take over Fukuoka with the Tastes of Tsukiji. We did however offer two options: our usual saltier Kanto-style soy sauce, as well as the sweeter Kyushu-style soy sauce. This received high praise.

When we launched in Osaka, there was even a dispute regarding our tamagoyaki omelet. When we opened in Dotonbori in September 2012, a customer commented that it’s unimaginable how such a tasteless and unappetizing item could even be on the menu. To be fair, the dashimaki-tamago omelet of the Kansai Region is made by adding dashi soup stock to the whisked egg before frying. Completely different from the Kanto-style omelet, which is made by adding sugar to the whisked egg before frying, and then dipped in soy sauce.

Due to the poor reception and sales, my employees suggested we adapt the recipe to Osaka-style and include dashi soup stock. However, I continued with the Kanto-style tamagoyaki omelet on the menu. This was because I wanted the customers in Osaka, a culinary capital, to enjoy the Tastes of Tsukiji. Perhaps they grew accustomed to our omelets eventually. Orders for our tamagoyaki omelet gradually grew at the Dotonbori location.

At each of our shops nationwide we offer daily specials and limited menus specific to the region by sourcing sushi slices from local markets. For example, at the Otaru and Sapporo locations, we serve local specialties such as sweet prawn and sea urchin. In addition, on the launching of the Kanazawa shop, we took part in the first snow crab auction of the season, and served them as chef’s recommendation. But our regular menu is the same nationwide. Our goal is to have customers across Japan enjoy the Tastes of Tsukiji. This goal remains the same to this day.