Sushi Sugahisa

To think that Chef Kan Masahiro’s success all began from a joke. As he was serving sushi at the counter of his Mizonokuchi restaurant, Edomae Sushi Sugahisa, one of his customers jokingly suggested that he should start an entirely new fusion cuisine concept, bringing both his expertise in sushi and his past history of making Thai cuisine together. So that was precisely what Chef Kan did. The Thai-style nigiri offerings first started out as an experimental limited-time menu at the restaurant, but became an explosive success practically overnight. This led to him expanding the menu, offering increasingly creative Thai-inspired takes on traditional Japanese sushi. Chef Kan closed Edomae Sushi Sugashisa in 2023, but not due to the reasons that one might expect. On the contrary, it was due to the astronomical demand for his novel sushi that led him to his current location in Toranomon Hills Station Tower, where some of the finest restaurants from all over Tokyo are gathered. It is here that Chef Kan continues to tantalize customers’ taste buds with his one-of-a-kind Thai sushi creations. Local Japanese ingredients are combined with Thai spices and herbs, then effortlessly molded into a style of sushi that is entirely Chef Kan’s own. The incorporation of traditionally Thai condiments like fish sauce, lemongrass and tom yum flavors give the sushi a dimension of flavor that has never before been seen in Edomae-style sushi, such as in the coconut milk risotto and Massaman curry-flavored steamed egg custard (chawanmushi). In order to keep things fresh, the precise menu contents change rapidly, ensuring that no two visits are ever the same. That’s just the philosophy of Chef Kan: the more he cooks, the more his cooking evolves. “In order to make dishes that no-one has ever eaten before, I have to push the limits of my creativity every day,” he says.