Tuna from a wholesaler that "only deals by introduction," sake purchased with a 2-hour one-way trip, 40% repeat customers. Azabu-Juban's 8-seat sushi restaurant to undergo May renewal.
Azabu-Juban sushi restaurant "Sushi Rakuraza Hachinoki" will be renewed as "Azabu-Juban Sushi Yanoki" after achieving a 40% repeat customer rate.
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- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 18:46
Azabu-Juban's 8-seat sushi restaurant / Sushi Rakuraza Hachinoki
**■ Release Summary**
The sushi counter "Sushi Rakuraza Hachinoki" (operated by DELIX Co., Ltd. / Grade Group Co., Ltd.), which opened in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo in May 2023, is scheduled to change its name to "Azabu-Juban Sushi Yanoki" and reopen on May 10, 2026. This small 8-seat restaurant has, over three years since its opening, accumulated a commitment to unique aging techniques and carefully selected ingredients. As a result, it has achieved a 40% repeat customer rate and a 40% referral rate. Now, as it has grown into a restaurant supported by word-of-mouth and repeat business, and as it approaches its "current store's last season," we will reveal the secrets behind the flavor creation achieved over these three years.
**■ Background: How an "Unnamed Restaurant" Transformed in 3 Years in Azabu-Juban's Fiercely Competitive Sushi Scene**
Head Chef Kenta Ito has 20 years of experience in Japanese cuisine. He is a craftsman who has honed his skills by working in various fields such as sushi, yakitori, soba, and kappo. With the desire to "create a sushi course that incorporates all of my experiences, rather than just traditional Edomae sushi," he opened an 8-seat counter in Azabu-Juban.
Ito himself recalls that when the restaurant first opened, it was so unremarkable that customers would ask, "Have I been here before?" The turning point came from developing new sourcing routes and a thorough commitment to aging techniques. Together with chef Akihito Moriwaki, who came from a Michelin-starred restaurant, they repeatedly asked themselves, "What if we did this, wouldn't it be even more delicious?" every day. Their uncompromising attitude towards every aspect of the shari (sushi rice), from the rice to the vinegar, is symbolic of this. They even went as far as to jointly develop their preparation water and cooking sake with a sake brewery in Hiroshima.
By the time the third year arrived, the restaurant had transformed to the point where customers who visited after a long absence were surprised, saying, "Wow, was it this delicious?"
**■ Commitment to Ingredients ①: Tuna ── A Relationship of Trust with Toyosu's Renowned Wholesaler "Hichou"**
Using tuna from Toyosu Market's renowned wholesaler "Hichou"
Our tuna is sourced from "Hichou," a renowned wholesaler at Toyosu Market. Hichou is a highly particular wholesaler that values relationships with individual stores and does not accept walk-in transactions. Our ability to do business with them is solely due to an introduction from a senior wholesaler operating in Toyosu. The opportunity to savor tuna designated by famous restaurants at our small 8-seat counter is a testament to this relationship of trust. The sourced tuna is meticulously aged in a dedicated refrigerator with precise temperature control until its texture and flavor reach their optimal state.
**■ Commitment to Ingredients ②: Sea Urchin ── Direct Delivery in Shell from Nemuro's Seto Shoten**
**■ Release Summary**
The sushi counter "Sushi Rakuraza Hachinoki" (operated by DELIX Co., Ltd. / Grade Group Co., Ltd.), which opened in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo in May 2023, is scheduled to change its name to "Azabu-Juban Sushi Yanoki" and reopen on May 10, 2026. This small 8-seat restaurant has, over three years since its opening, accumulated a commitment to unique aging techniques and carefully selected ingredients. As a result, it has achieved a 40% repeat customer rate and a 40% referral rate. Now, as it has grown into a restaurant supported by word-of-mouth and repeat business, and as it approaches its "current store's last season," we will reveal the secrets behind the flavor creation achieved over these three years.
**■ Background: How an "Unnamed Restaurant" Transformed in 3 Years in Azabu-Juban's Fiercely Competitive Sushi Scene**
Head Chef Kenta Ito has 20 years of experience in Japanese cuisine. He is a craftsman who has honed his skills by working in various fields such as sushi, yakitori, soba, and kappo. With the desire to "create a sushi course that incorporates all of my experiences, rather than just traditional Edomae sushi," he opened an 8-seat counter in Azabu-Juban.
Ito himself recalls that when the restaurant first opened, it was so unremarkable that customers would ask, "Have I been here before?" The turning point came from developing new sourcing routes and a thorough commitment to aging techniques. Together with chef Akihito Moriwaki, who came from a Michelin-starred restaurant, they repeatedly asked themselves, "What if we did this, wouldn't it be even more delicious?" every day. Their uncompromising attitude towards every aspect of the shari (sushi rice), from the rice to the vinegar, is symbolic of this. They even went as far as to jointly develop their preparation water and cooking sake with a sake brewery in Hiroshima.
By the time the third year arrived, the restaurant had transformed to the point where customers who visited after a long absence were surprised, saying, "Wow, was it this delicious?"
**■ Commitment to Ingredients ①: Tuna ── A Relationship of Trust with Toyosu's Renowned Wholesaler "Hichou"**
Using tuna from Toyosu Market's renowned wholesaler "Hichou"
Our tuna is sourced from "Hichou," a renowned wholesaler at Toyosu Market. Hichou is a highly particular wholesaler that values relationships with individual stores and does not accept walk-in transactions. Our ability to do business with them is solely due to an introduction from a senior wholesaler operating in Toyosu. The opportunity to savor tuna designated by famous restaurants at our small 8-seat counter is a testament to this relationship of trust. The sourced tuna is meticulously aged in a dedicated refrigerator with precise temperature control until its texture and flavor reach their optimal state.
**■ Commitment to Ingredients ②: Sea Urchin ── Direct Delivery in Shell from Nemuro's Seto Shoten**