Tokyo

Sassa

佐々

Bringing together his mastery in sushi and traditional Japanese cuisine, Chef Yuki Sassa pays homage to the soul of Japanese cuisine: dashi. Carefully extracted from high-grade kombu and katsuobushi, the delicate broth serves as the foundation of his seasonal dishes. Proud to welcome guests to his new restaurant, Nihonryori Sassa, the cuisine here strikes an intricate balance of precision, patience and respect for ingredients.

After honing his craft at top sushi establishments in Osaka, Tokyo and Shanghai, Sassa opened Nihonryori Safsa in 2024 to offer a refined kaiseki experience of his own. The restaurant is located just off the main Hiroo shopping street, sharing the building with Sushi Riku. A contrast to the modern exterior, the inside is traditional and tranquil. The garden is planted with pines, maples and cherry trees, changing the scenery with the seasons.

Fluent in English and Chinese, the staff offer a warm welcome with their impeccable hospitality. Guests are shown to their seats at the counter, crafted from a single slab of Kiso cypress. The chef stands in the open kitchen and prepares the meal to come. The cooking area is divided into two sections with a stove in the back and charcoal grill.

Blending the refined flavors of Japanese cuisine with the precision of a sushi master, the cuisine of Nihonryori Sassa is an experience not to be missed during your next visit to Tokyo.

Homage to the soul of Japanese cuisine

Sassa’s hallmark is his delicate flavors, weaved throughout the traditional kaiseki menu. His omakase course comprises 8 to 9 dishes that includes starters, soup, sashimi, a grilled dish, a simmered dish, rice dishes and dessert. The seasonal meal is made to cater to both first-time guests and returning fans, ensuring a personalized experience every time.

What sets the chef apart from others is his distinctive approach to making dashi. While many chefs rely solely on kombu for cold brewing, he extracts umami by soaking kombu and bonito overnight. The next day, he strains the mixture, brings it to a boil and enhances it further with additional kombu and bonito.

"Cold brewing extracts umami, and heating releases the aroma," he explains.

A signature representation of this method is his ichikomi starter: sesame tofu made with pure kombu water and kudzu starch, and garnished with premium sea urchin. The delicate flavor sets the tone for the rest of the evening.

The seasonal appetizer is a beautiful dish of shredded snow crab meat with chrysanthemums and other seasonal garnishes, topped with a layer of clear jelly made from broth.

Served in a large lacquered bowl, the soup combines his flavorful broth with red sweetfish. The fragrance of wood leaves and yuzu fills the air, complementing the deeply flavorful dashi.

"At first, the flavor may seem subtle, but as you enjoy it alongside the various components, you’ll appreciate its depth and harmony," he says.

The oshinogi appetizer features steamed sushi, a nod to his sushi background. Eel and kuruma shrimp are pressed onto the rice that is delicately seasoned with sun-dried salt and Fuji Premium Vinegar. Sassa takes great pride in finishing this dish in front of the guests, serving it fresh right away.

A selection of sashimi from the finest ingredients, including a 192-kg wild bluefin tuna from Aomori’s Fukaura and Botan shrimp. The course also includes other seasonal seafood such as bonito and northern clams.

The seasoned rice dish demonstrates Sassa’s refined presentation skills with the ingredients simmered together to perfection. The day’s toppings are clams, futago yams, yuzu zest and root mitsuba. The clams are marinated, a technique borrowed from the chef’s sushi training, bringing out a deeper and more complex flavor in this elegant dish.

INGREDIENTS
The tuna is sourced from the renowned wholesaler Yamayuki in Tsukiji. Sassa prefers catches that weigh around 120kg, and purchases it in blocks to ensure he gets the best selection for the season. He also receives direct shipments of fish and vegetables from different regions of Japan. For the rice, Sassa uses Koshihikari from Sado Island and Azumino for the plain white rice. For sushi rice and seasoned rice, he uses a variety called Tsukiakari. The wasabi served is from the renowned Masumai in Gotemba, known for its exceptional quality.

CHEF

Yuki Sassa

Yuki Sassa was born in 1991 in Hyogo Prefecture. From a young age, he enjoyed fishing with his parents and would often prepare the fish he caught. By the time he was in elementary school, he was already sharpening his own knives. He was also skilled in art and crafts, and enjoyed building things. As he got older, he gravitated toward a career in cooking and went on to attend the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka.

After graduating, Sassa honed his skills for six years at Sushidokoro Hirano in Osaka, before moving to Tokyo to train at top-rated Sushi Sugita. He later moved to Shanghai, where he spent eight years as chef and manager of several restaurants such as Nanjing Road Sassa. While focusing on Japanese cuisine, he also showcased his sushi skills and captivated local and international gourmands.

He returned to Japan and opened Nihonryori Sassa In December 2024. He shares a close bond with Riku Toda, the chef-owner of Sushi Riku, which opened earlier in the same building. Both chefs are of the same age and share the experience of training at Sushi Sugita and abroad.

VISION
At the age of 45, roughly 10 years from now, Sassa envisions running an auberge in the countryside. He muses that a location within a 1.5-hour radius from Tokyo could be ideal, but places like Hokkaido might also be a good option.

DASHI

Sassa’s dedication to dashi extends to his choice of ingredients. The bonito flakes are sourced from hand-line caught fish in the shores near Tokyo. This is becoming an increasingly rare product as the number of producers is dwindling, and the production volume is limited. For kombu, he uses the highest-quality natural ma-kombu from Shirakuchihama in Hokkaido, purchased from the renowned Konbu Doi in Osaka. This kombu has a rich umami flavor, yet it offers a refined and clean taste.