Mitsuhiro Kaji has been making sushi since he was 13. For 13 years, he apprenticed under many different master chefs all over Japan, moving every few years to learn a new style or technique.

Kaji came to Canada in 1980, and over the intervening years has opened 8 different sushi restaurants, starting with Shogun Sushi on Cumberland Avenue.

In May of 2000 he finally found the opportunity to settle down and open his ideal restaurant-Sushi Kaji.

Kaji observes that in Toronto the more popular sushi becomes, the less authentic it is. As a result, there are many sushi restaurants in Toronto that are lacking.

Kaji believes that authentic Japanese food is very sensuous and that making fine sushi demands not only a lot of training but also a gentle, sparing care. He says a common mistake is to over handle the ingredients. "Don`t touch too much, don`t push too much," he says, because the hand is warm, the rice is warm, but the fish is cool, and touching the food dramatically blends the temperature of the ingredients, often ruining its texture and taste.

Kaji also believes that the secret of good sushi is to always select best ingredients, and never compromise on quality. His Japanese supplier flies fish from Tokyo bay within 24 hours after it has been taken from the water. Kaji serves fish in the evening that he has purchased the same morning, never keeping fish overnight.

Other ingredients for typical Japanese food such as vinegar, vegetables, and condiments are also exclusively imported from Japan. Kaji is fastidious about Japanese ingredients because his taste tells him that Japanese ingredients are the best for Sushi.

Kaji also pays attention to the weather and seasons in Toronto, for example when choosing the right vinegar for the right season. In the summer he uses a soft, slightly sweeter vinegar because people`s blood sugar levels are low due to the heat. In the winter he uses a vinegar which is slightly bitter to give some extra zest during cold evenings.

Another example of Kaji`s Remarkable attention to detail is in making his own soy sauce. He thinks that regular soy sauce is too salty, so he makes his from scratch with dried bonito. We draw your attention to the difference between the retail soy sauce and Kaji`s own. You will find ours slightly sweet and richly flavoured.