Grasping the seasons and nurturing people: Chef Daisaku Murayama of “Sushi Murayama” on the true essence of deliciousness

—What inspired you to become a chef?

I think my mother’s influence was huge. I grew up with brothers, but from around third grade in elementary school my mother would call me into the kitchen and I often helped her cook. At the time it felt like I was being made to help (laughs), but every time we made something she would praise me a lot, saying things like “It’s delicious” and “You’re good at this.” Thanks to that, cooking became more and more fun for me, and before I knew it, I was naturally spending more time in the kitchen.

Later, when I was in my second year of junior high school, I started thinking seriously about my future. After really asking myself, “What is it that I truly want to do?”, I realized that I wanted to live my life in the world of cooking. With that decision, I went on to a high school with a culinary program and began in earnest down the path of becoming a chef.

— Please tell us about your years of training.

The first world I dove into wasn’t sushi, but Japanese cuisine in general. I studied Japanese cuisine until I was 32, and during that time I had the opportunity to go to the United States as an official residence chef. In Washington, D.C., I spent about four years welcoming a wide variety of guests.

When we prepare meals, we always ask in advance about any foods you can’t eat or any special requests, and I was amazed by how overwhelmingly popular sushi is. From my experience, roughly 90% of our guests from overseas say that they want to eat sushi.

In Japanese cuisine, there are quite a few dishes—like osechi ryori—that only really reveal their appeal once you explain the cultural background and meaning behind them. We used to serve items such as tazukuri and kuri kinton while sharing their origins and stories. However, for people from overseas, these dishes inevitably feel unfamiliar, and I often found it challenging to convey what makes them so attractive.

At the same time, sushi had already become well established as part of Japanese food culture, and even back then many people were familiar with sushi culture and understood its value. Seeing that with my own eyes made me start thinking, “When I go back to Japan, I’d like to seriously study sushi.” I had touched on sushi a little within the broader field of Japanese cuisine, but I had never trained as a sushi chef, so at first I only had a lighthearted idea of studying it for about two years.

Through your sushi training at the renowned restaurant in Ginza, were there any aspects—such as techniques or ways of thinking—that particularly influenced you?

When I began my training at a sushi restaurant in Ginza, the first thing that surprised me was how completely different the approach to handling fish is in traditional Japanese cuisine compared to sushi.

In Japanese cuisine, when grilling or deep-frying, salt is sometimes applied to draw out excess moisture. In the world of sushi, however, there are various techniques used to bring out the flavor while assessing the condition of the fish, such as salting sashimi, marinating it in vinegar, or curing it with kelp.

At the time, it had hardly ever occurred to me to season sashimi with salt; in fact, I thought of it as almost taboo in Japanese cuisine. But in reality, the flavor and character of the fish were brought out beautifully, and it was astonishingly delicious. It was a huge culture shock for me. The knowledge and experience I had taken for granted were overturned, and it was a moment when my own sense of what was normal changed dramatically.

At first, I planned to study sushi for about two years and then return to the world of traditional Japanese cuisine, but I was fortunate enough to be entrusted with the restaurant’s private counter. It was a small private room with only four seats, limited to one party per day. The distance to the guests was extremely close, creating a space where they could enjoy not only the food but the time itself through conversation. Naturally, it became easier to build deeper relationships with our guests, and more and more of them began to visit regularly as loyal customers.

Facing customers and working while feeling their reactions up close—that kind of enjoyment was really refreshing for me, and I think it suited my personality. Before I knew it, I had been working at that shop for seven years (laughs).

— What led you to become independent?

It wasn’t that I was strongly aiming for independence myself. It’s just that the words my first mentor at the Japanese restaurant where I trained told me—“Gain solid experience so that you can go independent around the age of 40”—have always stayed with me.

And as I actually approached the age of 40 and asked myself whether there was still more I wanted to learn and what, if anything, I might regret, I realized that rather than wanting to keep learning new things from that point on, I felt a much stronger desire to express, in my own way, the experience and skills I had built up until then.

Of course, going independent comes with various challenges, such as securing funds and finding a location, but thanks to the support of many people and the good fortune of meeting the right people, I felt as if the environment was gradually falling into place, one step at a time. Rather than feeling that I advanced purely by my own will, it was more like I was guided toward independence, with those around me giving me a push from behind.

— Is there anything you particularly value when it comes to cooking?

I do place a lot of importance on having a sense of the season, after all.

When putting together a menu, I try to weave into the course, as much as possible, ingredients that let you sense the arrival of the season—those just coming into their prime, those at their peak right now, and those that linger on and let you savor the afterglow of the season. Even within the same spring or autumn, the ingredients change little by little depending on the timing. I believe that being able to enjoy this subtle transition is one of the true charms of Japanese cuisine.

At Sushi Murayama, we completely renew our menu on the first day of every month. Some guests visit us every month, and many others come regularly throughout the year, so we want them to be able to enjoy something different from their previous visit each time.

And as the seasons change, the ingredients change too, so the menu naturally evolves as well. I build each dish around whatever is at its best at that particular time. That’s something I really look forward to, and I’d be delighted if it becomes a moment when our guests can truly feel the season.

— Besides sushi, your selection of dishes to accompany drinks is also very appealing. Could you tell us about any particular things you’re particular about?

What I keep in mind when thinking about appetizers is “not overdoing it.” If we put too much effort into the appetizers, people might say, “In that case, we might as well go to a Japanese restaurant,” so I always stay conscious of the fact that we are, first and foremost, a sushi restaurant.

Of course, we place great importance on a sense of season, and we also incorporate snacks that make use of the experience we’ve gained in Japanese cuisine. In fact, some customers have told us that they feel they could be fully satisfied with just the snacks alone.

Before going independent, I agonized quite a bit over this balance. I really wanted to make full use of seasonal ingredients, but I couldn’t decide whether to focus on being “a sushi restaurant where you can also enjoy authentic small plates” or “a restaurant centered on Japanese cuisine that also serves sushi.” I was torn about which direction to lean toward.

However, as I gained seven years of experience working at a sushi restaurant, I came to realize once again that many customers saw me as a sushi chef. With that in mind, I was able to decide without hesitation to move forward as a sushi restaurant.

At Sushi Murayama, while keeping sushi as the star of the show, I want to serve appetizers that only I can create, drawing on my experience in both traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi.

— When it comes to enjoying sushi and sake accompaniments, is there anything you’d like your guests to feel or anything you wish to convey to them?

What I most want you to feel is the season itself. Of course we use ingredients that are in season, but we also place great importance on the aroma and appearance those ingredients have, and on the unique flavors that can only be enjoyed at that particular time of year.

Through my cooking, I’d be delighted if you could feel the changing seasons and find yourself saying, “It’s already spring,” or “Summer is just around the corner.”

I hope you will not only enjoy the ingredients themselves, but also feel the flow of the seasons and the atmosphere as you go through the course. I want you to fully savor the unique appeal of seasonal flavors that can only be experienced at that particular time of year.

— What do you consider important when choosing ingredients?

It really comes down to whether something is in season. Choosing items that are in good condition at that particular time is a non‑negotiable requirement, and at the same time, I believe it’s also extremely important that we can procure them consistently.

We decide on a theme for each month and build our menu around it, so if possible, we’d like to keep using the same ingredients throughout that month. Of course, we may make changes depending on what we can get in stock, but as we cook every day, we keep making adjustments ourselves and gradually refine each dish. That’s exactly why we prefer not to change the ingredients too frequently.

For example, ingredients sourced directly from producers are often very appealing, but it’s not uncommon to run into situations like “we have it today but not tomorrow” or “we don’t know when we’ll get it next.” That kind of instability poses a major risk when you’re creating dishes while planning the structure of an entire course.

For that reason, we make a point of sourcing in a way that doesn’t rely too heavily on specific production areas or individual producers, so that we can always secure ingredients in good condition on a stable basis.

…It’s tough to stick to the planned menu if there’s no supply of ingredients, isn’t it?

Exactly. When we first opened, we also bought ingredients directly from the producers, but sometimes the ingredients we were counting on suddenly wouldn’t arrive, and then the quality of the dishes we could serve would vary from day to day. We’re open every day, so for us, any given day might feel like just one out of 365. But for our customers, that same day might be one they’ve been looking forward to for six months.

In fact, some people make reservations several months in advance, and we also have regular customers who come all the way from distant places like Osaka, Hokkaido, and Okinawa. They arrange flights or bullet trains, adjust their schedules, and come looking forward to that day.

On the other hand, our own circumstances—like saying, “The fish wasn’t in good condition today”—are irrelevant. No matter the situation, we must maintain a certain level of quality and always be prepared to serve dishes we can stand behind with confidence. I believe that is our responsibility to our customers.

— Is there anything you’re particularly mindful of when it comes to creating the space and welcoming your customers?

What we value most in creating spaces is ensuring that our customers can relax and feel at ease.

When people think of sushi restaurants in Ginza, many tend to feel they’re a bit intimidating or hard to walk into. But since you’ve come here looking forward to the experience, I really want you to relax and simply enjoy your meal without feeling stiff or self-conscious.

I also try not to put on a front or create a stiff atmosphere, but to welcome customers as naturally as possible. I want it to be a space where I can enjoy myself and where customers can enjoy themselves too.

Speaking about the design aspect, we were also particular about “serving dishes the moment they’re ready.” All the equipment needed for cooking—gas stoves, charcoal grills, even the pot for cooking the sushi rice—is consolidated within the counter, so everything from preparation to serving can be completed right in front of the guests. Because you can naturally see us getting the next dish ready, I believe you can enjoy not only the finished food, but also the entire process of how each dish comes to life.

Also, we have hardly any partitions in the shop that would hide what we’re doing with our hands. There is a certain tension in knowing that we have to do work we can be proud of no matter where customers are looking, but that sense of pressure was also something I personally cared about.

— You have many young apprentices; do you provide any support for them to become independent in the future?

We want this to be a place where young chefs who aim to go independent can gather. Many of the staff who come here to train have the goal of eventually owning their own restaurant. That’s why we try to share as much as possible without holding anything back—not only technical skills, but also everything related to running a restaurant.

In fact, on the fifth floor of the same building we’ve set up a restaurant called “Sushi Rai-ochi,” which is mainly run by younger staff. There are many things you experience for the first time after going independent, but having to learn everything from scratch at that point carries a big risk, so I want them to gain as much experience as possible in an environment where I can take responsibility. And I hope they’ll meet customers with whom they can maintain a relationship even after becoming independent, and build lasting connections with them.

The skill of making sushi itself can be acquired through repeated practice. However, actually standing in front of customers and making sushi for them is a completely different experience. I believe that, in the end, it is the customers who truly cultivate a chef. You make sushi right in front of them, they eat it, and you grow by receiving their reactions and their words. I think that accumulation of experiences is more important than anything else.

These days there’s a debate about whether sushi chefs really need long years of training, but I think it depends on what kind of place you’re aiming for. A restaurant can’t survive on the technical skill of forming sushi alone. There are many things you have to learn: how to handle ingredients, how to face and interact with customers, how to create the atmosphere, and even how to run the business.

You may be able to understand something as knowledge, but it takes time before it truly becomes second nature. It’s precisely that solid grounding that makes customers willing to come to you. That’s why I want you, while you’re still young, to accumulate as many experiences as possible and reach a point where you can strike out on your own with confidence.

— Mr. Aizawa, what kind of place is “Sushi Murayama” to you?

As long as you’re motivated, this is a place where you’ll be given endless opportunities to take on new challenges.

This is the third place where I’ve trained, but compared to my previous experiences, what stands out the most is how close the relationship is between Chef Murayama and the staff. Of course, there are boundaries I must observe as an apprentice, but aside from that, communication is very open, and I feel truly fortunate with the working environment here.

As we face the challenges and goals appropriate to each stage, they stay close to us and help us figure out how we should make an effort and how we should approach things so that it leads to growth. Sometimes they even stay after business hours to listen to us, and through that time, I truly feel that they are engaging earnestly with each and every one of us.

People who actively try to learn naturally receive many opportunities, so if you not only complete the tasks you’re given but also have the desire to raise your hand and take on new challenges yourself, this is a place that will firmly support and encourage you. I believe it’s a valuable environment that truly responds to that kind of drive to grow.

— Could you tell us what led you to train at “Sushi Murayama”?

I first met Taisho Murayama at the restaurant where I began my training. At the time, I was working as an apprentice, and Taisho Murayama was the key person running the place as the second-in-command.

Since we had been together for a long time from my apprenticeship days, I was able to closely observe his way of working and how he interacted with customers. Through that steady accumulation of experiences, a natural relationship of trust developed, and that is how I have come to work here now under Taisho Murayama.

— What are the selling points of “Sushi Raiotsu”?

Compared to our main restaurant, “Sushi Murayama,” I think “Sushi Raiotsu” is a place where you can dine a bit more casually. At “Sushi Murayama,” we have many long-time regulars, and it’s not uncommon for guests to make reservations up to six months in advance when they visit.

Sushi Raiotsu is still in the stage of becoming known to many more customers. Personally, I want to create an appeal that is different from the main restaurant and clearly distinguish us, so instead of fixing the starting time, I’m aiming for a style that makes it easy for first-time guests to visit.

We offer course options ranging from ones that let you fully enjoy sushi as the main focus to others that combine appetizers and sushi, so you can choose according to how you feel that day.

Even if you’ve always wanted to visit our restaurant but feel it’s a bit intimidating, I’d be delighted if you would first drop by casually and get a feel for the unique atmosphere and character that only “Sushi Rai-raku” can offer.

— Is there anything you’d like to convey to your customers, or anything you particularly value?

Because we build our menu with sushi itself as the main focus, we try to include as many different kinds of toppings as possible so that we can offer guests new discoveries. If it leads to reactions like, “I didn’t know you served this kind of sushi,” or “This is my first time eating this,” and brings them surprise and joy, that makes us very happy.

It also provides learning opportunities not only for our customers but for our staff as well. Each item requires different preparation and work, and I believe that gaining experience leads to growth. We place great importance on creating that kind of environment.

We want to remain a place where, free from fixed ideas, we actively take on new ingredients and new kinds of work, offering fresh discoveries to both our customers and our staff.

— Do you have any plans or prospects for the future?

First, we want more people to know about us and turn this into a place they’ll actually come and visit.

My biggest goal right now is for customers to feel that the food was delicious, to want to come back again, and by building on that little by little, to gradually increase the number of regular customers.

I’m sure Mr. Murayama has his own ideas about things like expanding the number of locations, but for my part, I’m first and foremost focused on turning the restaurant I’ve been entrusted with, “Sushi Rai-raku,” into a truly thriving business.

— Mr. Murayama, could you tell us about your future prospects?

I believe that developing younger members is also a major challenge for me.

I am who I am today thanks to the many seniors who supported me and generously shared their skills and experience. I feel that passing that kindness on to the next generation is my responsibility.

I don’t just want to teach the technical skills; I also want to pass on how to approach the work and how to think as a craftsman. It might sound grand to call it the inheritance of culture, but I believe it’s also important to create an environment where the younger generation can feel hopeful about this line of work.

I’m almost 50 now, but I’d like to stay actively working on the front lines until around 55.

— Lastly, what does “delicious” mean to you, Mr. Murayama?

It’s hard to sum up in a single word, but I’d say it’s the overall “balance.”

No matter how delicious something is, it can be ruined if the atmosphere of the space is uncomfortable, and since everyone’s taste is different, it’s hard to make something that everyone will find universally delicious. Even so, I feel that what’s important is creating a place with a good sense of balance.

No matter how amazing the food is, if the atmosphere in the restaurant feels tense, it’s hard to truly enjoy your meal, isn’t it? Of course, the food itself being delicious is a basic requirement, but I believe that only when you include the restaurant’s ambiance, the service, and the time you spend there does it all come together into a truly satisfying dining experience.

That’s exactly why we don’t just want our customers to feel that the food was delicious, but to make them think, “I want to come back again,” and be that kind of restaurant.

Mr. Murayama pursues cuisine that expresses the changing seasons and a space where guests can relax in comfort. At the core is his belief that “deliciousness is not just about the food itself, but a holistic experience that includes the space and the people.” The sense of season woven by peak‑season ingredients, the immediacy of dishes finished right before your eyes, the natural, unpretentious atmosphere in which guests are welcomed—and the assured craftsmanship backed by years of honed skill and experience. Why not come to Sushi Murayama and experience for yourself the “deliciousness” that emerges from the harmony of all these elements?

Reporting & Text / AutoReserve Magazine Editorial Department

Photography / Shoichi Baba