Komatsu Yasuke (小松 弥助) Kanazawa

(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) There are still good things happening these days to be happy about. Last week Morita san of Komatsu Yasuke turned 89! Kanazawa seems to be blessed, still relatively safe from negativity. And blessed to have Morita san.
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He was still so fast and no one at the counter could beat his speed. His hearing was still so good the customer half his age couldn’t catch as many words as he did. He still remembered I super loved his unakyu (grilled eel and cucumber roll) and always reminded me it’s very hot before I ate it. And he tucked in extra toro for his negi toro maki to make sure we did not go home hungry.
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It is during this time that it made me feel even more grateful for life, health, the ability to be able to work, the ability to be able to social. Things we took for granted for a long long time. And we are losing them all in a sudden.
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But I have belief we will get them back. It may be very very tough. But to get what we want it is never easy.
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Let’s support each other to get over this.
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@[instagram] 小松弥助，金沢 Komatsu Yasuke, Kanazawa (3.2020, 11回目 11th visit)

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12.2019 ~ 金沢 Kanazawa 🇯🇵 〜 @[instagram] 小松弥助，金沢 Komatsu Yasuke, Kanazawa (12.2019, 10回目 10th visit)

One of the most touching experiences I had at Komatsu Yasuke yesterday. Normally there are 3 sessions at lunch, from 11:00, then 13:00pm and 14:30. It was my first time to take the 3rd session of the day, and 88-year-old Morita san had been serving full packed restaurant with 20 customers in each of the two previous services. Our session was fully occupied too.

And he was still working with so much passion and professionalism, he was still incomparably fast. But I could tell that his hands were slightly more shaky than normal, probably because he was working too long and a bit tired. He did not stop making sushi and did not stop smiling to every customer, even having fun with them and Toni, the youngest customer (29 yr old) at the counter. His other chef Ryotan san, was actually 27, can be Morita san’s grandson. When he gave me one of the nigiri, he suddenly said wait, and then tipped my palm with his finger, like a personal blessing and smiled to me and said now you can eat. My heart melt.

After we finished the course menu and ready for additional items, Morita san excused us and said now he needed to change. I saw him walking into the kitchen and immediately sat on a plastic carton, not even on a bench or stool but he must be so tired he just sat on anything available. I almost wanted to cry 🥺. At his age he could have stop working but he did not. He still works 3 shifts a day and makes sushi till the last bit of energy he has. Mad mad respect and love.

At the end when we finished, I asked if we could take one more photo with Morita san. He came out and asked all the chefs to be in the picture with us (and tell them to have the thumb up). And then he proceeded to talk to every of my friends and held their hands with blessing. So so touching.
There are sushi chefs that made you technically perfect sushi, but Morita san made you sushi that touch your heart. His attitude to work is exemplary to young chefs these days. A legend continues to spread his love and loved by everyone who have had his sushi.
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