Jiro Dreams of Sushi

What defines
"deliciousness"?

Taste is tough
to explain, isn't it?

I would see ideas
in dreams.

My mind was bursting
with ideas.

I would wake up
in the middle of the night.

In dreams, I would have
visions of sushi.

Once you decide
on your occupation,

you must immerse yourself
in your work.

You have to fall in love
with your work.

Never complain
about your job.

You must dedicate your life
to mastering your skill.

That's the secret
of success

and is the key to being
regarded honorably.

I have published several
restaurant guidebooks.

I went to every sushi, soba,
tempura, and eel restaurant in Tokyo.

Nobody has eaten more
of these foods than I have.

Out of the hundreds
of restaurants that I ate at,

Jiro's was the best by far.

When I went to Jiro
the first time, I was nervous.

After going for years,
I am still nervous.

Jiro has a very stern look
on his face when he's making sushi.

It's comfortable for people

who like to have sushi
served at a fast pace.

But for people who want
to drink and eat slowly while chatting,

it won't be a comfortable
eating experience.

All of the sushi is simple.
It's completely minimalist.

Master chefs from around the world
eat at Jiro's and say,

"How can something so simple
have so much depth of flavor?"

If you were to sum up
Jiro's sushi in a nutshell...

"Ultimate simplicity
leads to purity."

- Excuse me.
- Yes?

Do you have a pamphlet
for this restaurant?

We don't have pamphlets.
We only have business cards.

Could I have one, please?

May I have one?

I came all the way
from Shizuoka.

Here are a few cards.

- Can I make reservations?
- Reservations are mandatory here.

How early do I need
the reservation?

- One month in advance.
- One month in advance?

Yes.

Since it's February now,

we're taking reservations
for March.

I see.

Reservations can be made
for lunch and dinner?

Yes, for both.
The price starts at 30,000 yen.

- 30,000 yen?
- It starts at 30,000 yen.

- Okay.
- The sushi and prices vary,

depending on what's
available at the market.

- I see.
- So it starts from 30,000 yen.

Can we order drinks
and appetizers to start?

We only serve sushi.
We don't have appetizers.

- Really?
- Yes.

- You don't have any other dishes?
- No.

- Only sushi.
- Yes.

- Okay, thank you.
- Thank you.

For fast eaters, a meal there
might last only 15 minutes.

In that sense, it's the most expensive
restaurant in the world.

But people who eat there are
convinced it's worth the price.

We're not trying
to be exclusive or elite.

The techniques we use
are no big secret.

It's just about
making an effort

and repeating
the same thing every day.

There are some who are born
with a natural gift.

Some have a sensitive palate
and sense of smell.

That's what you call
"natural talent."

In this line of business,

if you take it seriously,
you'll become skilled.

But if you want
to make a mark in the world,

you have to have talent.

The rest depends
on how hard you work.

He repeats the same
routine every day.

He even gets on the train
from the same position.

He has said that
he dislikes holidays.

The holidays are too long for him.

He wants to get back
to work right away.

It's unthinkable
for most people.

Is it good?
Is it too firm?

- Overall it's a little tough.
- Is it?

Probably because
it is young.

But the toughness
isn't that bad.

If it doesn't taste good,
you can't serve it.

It has to be better
than last time.

That's why I always taste the food
during preparation.

- It hasn't marinated enough.
- It is a bit fatty.

This doesn't taste
right either.

- How long has this marinated?
- For about five hours.

- Put it back in.
- It needs work.

Let's marinate it
in vinegar a little longer.

My father is right.

- Let's marinate it again.
- Put it in the vinegar again.

Put that one in the vinegar too.

- We'll try it again before serving.
- Okay.

I've seen many chefs
who are self-critical,

but I've never seen another chef
who is so hard on himself.

He sets the standard
for self-discipline.

He is always looking ahead.

He's never satisfied
with his work.

He's always trying to find ways

to make the sushi better
or to improve his skills.

Even now, that's what
he thinks about every day.

A great chef has
the following five attributes.

First, they take their work
very seriously

and consistently perform
on the highest level.

Second, they aspire
to improve their skills.

Third is cleanliness.

If the restaurant
doesn't feel clean,

the food isn't
going to taste good.

The fourth attribute
is impatience.

They are not prone
to collaboration.

They're stubborn and insist
on having things their own way.

What ties these attributes together

is passion.

That's what makes a great chef.

Jiro has all of these attributes.

He's a perfectionist.

The difference between Jiro today
and Jiro 40 years ago

is only that he stopped smoking.

Other than that,
nothing has changed.

When I apprenticed for him,
he wasn't famous yet.

But he always worked
incredibly hard.

He would only take a day off
if it was a national holiday.

The only time
he wasn't at the restaurant

was when there was
an emergency, like a funeral.

But he would still keep
the restaurant open.

I would say to the customers,
"Jiro is at a funeral,

so I will be your chef today."

I've worked hard,
so I have no regrets.

Seriously.

If Jiro has any regrets,
then he's crazy!

I feel sorry for his older son.

He should let
Yoshikazu take over.

Don't you think?

Yoshikazu is already 50.

Yes, he's only
12 years younger than I am.

Yoshikazu,
you probably didn't think

you'd be working
with your father so long.

I thought he was going
to retire long ago.

Everyone thought Jiro might
retire 10 years ago.

He was hospitalized once
when he was 70.

Then the Roppongi Hills
branch was opened.

Those were the two times
when he might have retired.

After he was hospitalized, we weren't
sure he could continue working.

How old were you when
you started training?

I started when I was 19.

You didn't like it at first?

I hated it at first.

For the first two years,
I wanted to run away.

We can have them
sit here and here.

But that way, Mr. Taniguchi
would have to sit at seat nine.

Have these guests
on seats one, two and three.

No, that won't work.

It wouldn't be fair to the people
who reserved last year.

Have them sit close together
to fit the other party.

It's essential
to check every detail.

What the staff might not notice,

I notice because I have been
doing it for so long.

I give them detailed
instructions on what to do.

Working there wasn't easy.

I worked for him
until he was 60.

I wouldn't say
he is eccentric.

He just works
relentlessly every day.

That's how shokunin are.

The way of the shokunin is
to repeat the same thing every day.

They just want to work.

They aren't trying to be special.

I could always tell
from his facial expressions

if he was in a good mood
or a bad mood.

And when it was best
not to bother him.

Once your boss,
always your boss.

Let's just say

I don't sleep with my feet
in his direction.

Remove the part
with tough meat.

We'll age a small tuna
for about three days.

We'll age a larger tuna
for up to 10 days.

When you compare
fatty tuna and lean tuna,

these days most people
prefer the taste of fat.

Before World War ll,
they used to cook fatty tuna.

The taste of the fatty tuna
is simple and predictable.

But the flavors of leaner cuts
are subtle and sophisticated.

Each tuna has
its own unique taste,

but it is the leaner meat that carries
the essence of the flavor.

We can't buy
just any tuna.

The tuna vendor works
exclusively with tuna.

Our shrimp vendor
only sells shrimp.

Each vendor is
a specialist in his field.

We are experts in sushi,

but in each of their specialties,
the vendors are more knowledgeable.

We've built up a relationship
of trust with them.

Sushi was originally sold
from street stands.

In New York, there are
food vendors on the street.

Sushi was once served
the same way.

It is said that
the "California" roll

was invented
between 1983 and 1985.

Sushi's popularity spread
quickly to New York...

and then spread to Europe.

In France, the first Michelin guide
was published in 1900.

Michelin inspectors
look first for quality.

Next they look for originality,

and finally
they look for consistency.

Jiro's restaurant easily
meets their standards.

A perfect three-star
Michelin rating means

it is worth making
a trip to that country

just to eat at that restaurant.

When Jiro got three stars,
everyone was astonished.

There are only 10 seats there!
The restroom is outside the premises.

There's not another three-star
restaurant in the world like that.

But the Michelin
investigators say,

"No matter how many times
you eat at Jiro's,

the sushi there is incredible."
They said that three stars

is the only rating adequate
for the restaurant.

I've never had
a disappointing experience there.

That's nothing short
of a miracle.

The layout of this second
restaurant is different

because I'm right-handed
and my father is left-handed.

The interiors are reversed.

The photo on the right
is Jiro's Sukiyabashi.

This is my Roppongi.

Together, they are symmetrical.

My father's skill is incomparable.

He's been making sushi
since before I was born,

so there's nothing
I can do to top him.

I have to lower my prices
to satisfy my customers.

Some of his customers say

they get nervous eating in front
of my father at his place.

They say I serve the same sushi
in a more relaxed atmosphere.

That's why they like coming here.

When l opened this restaurant,
my father said,

"Now you have no home
to come back to."

He said that I would be
buried in Roppongi.

Failure was not an option.

When you open your own restaurant,
you need to be tough.

I told him to leave
and open this restaurant

because I knew he could do it.

If he weren't ready,
I wouldn't have made him go.

But I felt he was ready,

so I gave him a gentle push
out the door.

But I told him,
"There is no turning back.

You must make your own way."

When I say things like this,

people often disagree.

But when I left home at the age of nine,
that's what I was told.

When I was in the first grade,
I was told

"You have no home
to come back to.

That's why you have
to work hard."

I knew that
I was on my own.

And I didn't want to have to sleep
at the temple or under a bridge,

so I had to work
just to survive.

That has never left me.

I worked even if the boss
kicked or slapped me.

Nowadays, parents tell their children, "You can
return if it doesn't work out."

When parents say
stupid things like that,

the kids turn out
to be failures.

I don't know much
about my parents.

I don't know
much about my father.

This is me.

It's 1927 or 1928.

They had a professional
photographer come

just to take this picture.

So, back then,
my father was making money.

He made good money taking
people on boat rides.

But his business failed
and his life fell apart.

All he did was drink.

Later, he went to work
at a military factory in Yokohama.

I heard that he died.

But I didn't go to the funeral.

I lived with him until I was seven.

I never heard from him again.

I was on my own after that.

Our father started as an apprentice
and was paid almost nothing.

According to our mother,
when they got married

they only had 10 yen
in their bank account.

That's how poor we were.

I remember when Coca-Cola
in cans first came out.

All the other kids
were drinking Coke,

but we were so poor
we didn't get to drink it.

Back then, in most
canned drinks

the flavors
were on the bottom.

I thought you had
to shake the can.

I shook it, and when l opened it
the liquid burst out.

We had saved up for months!
My brother was furious.

Less than half the liquid
remained in the can.

I felt so sorry.

Even now, he probably
thinks about it.

I still feel guilty.

When the kids were small,
Takashi would say,

on the rare occasion that I was
at home sleeping in on a Sunday,

"Mom, there's a strange man
sleeping in our house!"

It's a true story.

I would get up at 5:00
in the morning and go to work.

I would get home after 10:00
at night when he'd be asleep.

When they were young,
I didn't get to see them often.

I wasn't much of a father.

I was probably more
like a stranger.

Our father was always
strict with himself.

We hold ourselves
to the same standard.

I let them graduate
from high school.

Then they wanted
to go to college,

but I convinced them
to help out at my restaurant.

They didn't go to college.

It's difficult to maintain a restaurant

and it's difficult to leave
and start your own.

It's normal to be competitive
when you're younger.

You need competition
in order to improve.

But if we both were
to continue working

at our father's restaurant,

when he retires only one
of us could be the head chef.

And I don't think I'm inferior

to my brother just because
I was born later.

Were you jealous when Takashi
started his own restaurant?

In Japan, the eldest son

succeeds his father's position.

That's what is expected of me.

We came back to work
after World War ll.

The masters said that
the history of sushi is so long

that nothing new
could be invented.

They may have
mastered their craft,

but there's always room
for improvement.

I created sushi dishes

that didn't exist back then.

I would make sushi in my dreams.

I would jump out of bed
at night with ideas.

How did you serve shrimp before?

Like everyone else,
we boiled it in the morning

and put it in the refrigerator.

And then we took it out
when it was time to serve.

It was a lot easier back then.

Now we wait to boil the shrimp
until the customer arrives.

It's more work,
but it's worth it.

Octopus is another example.

I always felt that
my preparation was decent.

But I've since refined
my technique.

Back then, I would massage
the octopus for about 30 minutes.

Now it is massaged
for 40 to 50 minutes.

It's hard work
for the apprentices.

Too often,
octopus tastes like rubber.

It has no flavor.

We massage it to give it
a soft texture.

To bring out the fragrance
of the octopus, we serve it warm.

Shokunin try to get

the highest quality fish
and apply their technique to it.

We don't care about money.

All I want to do
is make better sushi.

I do the same thing over
and over, improving bit by bit.

There is always a yearning
to achieve more.

I'll continue to climb,
trying to reach the top,

but no one knows
where the top is.

Even at my age,
after decades of work,

I don't think I have
achieved perfection.

But I feel ecstatic all day.

I love making sushi.

That's the spirit
of the shokunin.

When to quit?

The job that you've worked
so hard for?

I've never once hated this job.

I fell in love with my work

and gave my life to it.

Even though I'm 85 years old,

I don't feel like retiring.

That's how I feel.

When Jiro retires

or when the inevitable
happens,

sushi may never reach
that level again.

But if Yoshikazu carries on
his father's legacy

and continues Jiro's style
of only making the finest sushi,

other chefs may follow his lead

and restaurants that focus only
on sushi may still flourish.

It's not going to be easy

for Yoshikazu to succeed his father
at the same restaurant.

Even if Yoshikazu makes
the same level of sushi,

it will be seen as inferior.

If Yoshikazu makes sushi
that's twice as good as Jiro's,

only then will
they be seen as equals.

That's how influential
his father is.

Sometimes, when the father
is too successful,

the son can't surpass him.

The first place I worked at
was a famous restaurant.

But when the son took over, all
the customers left and didn't come back.

It will be difficult.

I don't have anyone
to take over for me.

Jiro's ghost will always
be there, watching.

I think it will be difficult
when Jiro departs.

I wish my father could
make sushi forever.

But at some point

I'm going to have
to take his place.

People tell me that I should preserve
what my father has built.

We've gone through a lot to maintain
the integrity of this restaurant.

I must continue
my father's tradition.

Jiro stopped going to the
fish market at the age of 70.

He collapsed
while smoking a cigarette.

He had a heart attack.

It was after that he stopped
going to the market.

He felt that if he continued to go,

he wouldn't be able to pass
the torch to his son.

So the heart attack
was a catalyst

for Yoshikazu to start
going to the market.

- He's the undisputed champ.
- That's not true.

They did a TV special about him
and even showed a re-run!

I'm humbled that
Jiro respects my taste.

My methods
and standards are

a little unusual compared
to other vendors.

It is encouraging
that he trusts me.

I'm what you might call
"anti-establishment."

I either buy my first choice,
or I buy nothing.

If 10 tuna are for sale,
only one can be the best.

I buy that one.

The first impression
is very important.

We have to predict what
a fish will be like

based on experience and instinct.

I dig out a piece of the tail
and examine it.

By checking the texture
with my fingers,

I can tell how good it will taste.

This is the basic process
of choosing the fish.

Not good.

People are saying there are
a lot of tuna here.

This is nothing.

- How is the halibut?
- Good and fresh.

Okay, good.

His grandfather was known
as "the god of sea eel."

He was a legend.

I never met him in person,

but that's what I've heard.

- Do you have octopus?
- Yes.

Today's octopus is from...

- Sajima?
- It's from Yokosuka.

Was the color too dark?

I don't care about the color.

It just has to taste good.

The flavor is all that matters.

This one is two kilograms,

and this one is a little smaller.

We are picky
about who we sell to.

We want customers
who appreciate good fish.

Even at my age,
I'm discovering new techniques.

But just when you think
you know it all,

you realize that you're
just fooling yourself

and then you get depressed.

You must hold the shrimp firmly.

Put pressure on them.

If you hold them gently,
they'll try to escape.

Very few shrimp came in today.

They don't have any.

They didn't sell out.
No shrimp came in.

Just tell them
that we sold out.

There were only
three kilograms

of wild shrimp
in this whole market.

That's all.

Everybody thinks
we always have shrimp,

but it's hard to find them.

Sometimes, when I see
the shrimp in the morning,

I'll say, "Ah,
this is worthy of Jiro."

That's the way I do business.

It's not about the money.

These days, young people
want an easy job.

They want lots of free time

and they want lots of money.

But they aren't concerned
with building their skills.

When you work
at a place like Jiro's...

you are committing
to a trade for life.

Most people can't keep up
with the hard work and they quit.

Have there been
a lot of cases like that?

People often suddenly quit
and disappear.

They'll just leave
without notice.

What's the shortest
an apprentice has lasted?

One day.

Really, one day. They come in
the morning, but by night they are gone.

I've always loved anything fast.

I wanted to become a fighter pilot,

but they don't accept
people with bad vision.

Then I wanted
to be a race car driver,

but I didn't have enough money.

You need a sponsor because
race cars are so expensive.

When I was a kid,

I was sure I would be
an F1 racer.

- You're a speed freak?
- Yes, I'm crazy.

My car can go 300 kph.

Hello, Sho-chan.

They wanted nappa
and mulukhiya cabbage.

How are you doing?

Not doing too well.

I want to retire.

You don't want to work?

I'm exhausted, but your dad
is working so hard.

Yeah, he's working hard.
He's working harder than I am.

He's full of energy.

Thank you.
I hope you feel better.

When you work for Jiro,
he teaches you for free.

But you have to endure
10 years of training.

If you persevere for 10 years,

you will acquire the skills to be
recognized as a first-rate chef.

It's sad to see that there are no
very young apprentices at Jiro's.

Taking 10 years to learn
the necessary skills

is a long time compared
to other fields of work.

When did you want
to become a sushi chef?

I was about 17.

I needed a job but couldn't
decide what to do.

I wanted to do
something with food

and sushi is the coolest food.

That's how I decided.

I went to several restaurants,
but the sushi here was the best.

So I applied for the job.

The atmosphere was
different too.

This place has
an interesting vibe.

I came here to eat
by myself when I was 24.

The place made me nervous.

Did Jiro make you sushi?

- No, it was you.
- Oh, really?

I was so nervous eating here.

I don't remember that at all.

Now you guys are
all fulfilling your dreams.

Maybe you think you made
the wrong decision.

Okay, let's get to work.

Everybody works to please Jiro.

All that matters is
Jiro's approval.

Jiro is like the maestro
of an orchestra.

When you first sit down at Jiro's

they give you
a hand-squeezed hot towel.

An apprentice must first be able
to properly hand squeeze a towel.

At first the towels are so hot,
they burn the apprentice's hands.

It's very painful training,
which is very Japanese.

Until you can adequately squeeze a towel, they
won't let you touch the fish.

Then you learn to cut
and prepare the fish.

After about 10 years,
they let you cook the eggs.

I had been practicing making
the egg sushi for a long time.

I thought I would be good at it.

But when it came
to making the real thing,

I kept messing up.

I was making up to four a day.

But they kept saying,
"No good, no good, no good."

I felt like it was
impossible to satisfy them.

After three or four months,

I had made over 200
that were all rejected.

When I finally did
make a good one

Jiro said, "Now this is
how it should be done."

I was so happy I cried.

It was a long time before Jiro
referred to me as a shokunin.

I wanted to shout, "You just called me
a shokunin, didn't you?"

I was so happy that I wanted
to throw my fist into the air!

But I tried not to let it show.

That's what you strive for
after all these years.

After Nakazawa opens
his own place,

Takeshita and Masuda

will be promoted to
Nakazawa's position.

The work that Takeshita
and Masuda were doing

will be taken over
by newcomers.

I'm in charge of tasting.

You should slice the fish thinner.

The rest is okay.

Make sure you slice the fish thinly.

Only apply gentle pressure.

He gives me advice.
Yoshikazu says,

"Press the sushi as if you are
pressing a little chick."

- A chick?
- Right, a baby chicken.

You don't want to squash it.

But there is much
you can't learn from words.

I have to keep practicing.

There's too much wasabi.

- It's making me cry.
- I'm sorry.

- You just grated the wasabi, right?
- Yes.

Okay, good job.

He needs time to grow.

There is still
a long way for him to go,

but I think he will improve.

It depends
on how hard he works.

In order to make delicious food,
you must eat delicious food.

The quality of ingredients
is important,

but one must develop a palate capable
of discerning good and bad.

Without good taste,
you can't make good food.

If your sense of taste is lower

than that of the customers,
how will you impress them?

When I think of someone with a highly
acute sense of taste and smell,

the first person I think of is the great
French chef Joël Robuchon.

I wish I were as sensitive as he.

I have a very good
sense of smell,

but he's on another level.

His sensitivity is very high.

If I had his tongue and nose,

I could probably make
even better food.

He knows everything about rice.

He's different
from the other dealers.

He knows so much.

That's why we trust him.

However, sometimes
he seems so knowledgeable

that I get suspicious
he's making it all up!

The hotel near Takashi's restaurant
came to me.

I told them certain rice can only
be prepared by Jiro's disciples.

- It was the Hyatt Hotel.
- Oh, the Grand Hyatt.

- They asked you for our rice?
- I told them, "No way!"

I said even if I wanted
to sell it to them...

only Jiro knows
how to cook it!

If Jiro told me to sell it
to them, I would,

but I can't sell it to them just
because they ask for it.

Everybody loves our rice.

But if they can't cook it,
what's the use?

It takes significant skill
to cook this rice.

What's the point of buying rice
that you can't cook?

- It's not so easy, is it?
- Mmm.

You can't cook rice
like this just with big talk.

We put a lot
of pressure on the rice.

The lid itself is so heavy
that it takes two hands to lift.

And then we place
a big pot of water on top.

With the type of rice we use,

you need a lot of pressure.

I can't think
of any other restaurant

that puts this much pressure
on the rice.

But that's fine with us,

because we can keep using
the best rice

and our rivals won't
be able to imitate us.

The temperature of the rice
is very important.

Most people think
sushi is cold.

But actually, the rice should be
served at body temperature.

We've devised techniques to maintain
the perfect temperature when serving.

The temperature and freshness
of the fish

are crucial.

Each ingredient has an ideal moment
of deliciousness.

Mastering the timing
of sushi is difficult.

It takes years of experience
to develop your intuition.

The sushi must be eaten
immediately after it is served.

To explain umami...
it takes more than just

a good piece of tuna to create
the sensation of umami.

- It's when...
- You eat it together

with vinegared rice
and soy sauce.

The umami is brought out
through the balance of the flavors.

For example,
when you drink a good beer,

you'll exclaim "Ahh!"
after you drink it.

That's a form of umami.

Or when you take a bath,

you say "Ahh!"
because it feels good.

The most important part
of making good sushi is this:

creating a balance between
the rice and the fish.

If they are not in complete harmony,
the sushi won't taste good.

The order is also important.
In traditional Japanese cuisine,

there is a progression
in how the dishes are served.

Heavier flavors are
served later in the course.

There is an ebb and flow
to the menu.

For 10 years,
Jiro pondered ways

to incorporate this
concept into his menu.

Seven years ago,
he formed the structure

of the tasting course
that he serves today.

From all the fish
at Tsukiji market,

he chooses
the highest quality fish

and creates
the course menu of the day.

I was lucky enough to be
the first person to try this menu.

When I ate the sushi,
I felt like I was listening to music.

Jiro's sushi course
is like a concerto.

The meal is divided
into three movements.

Classic items,
like tuna and kohada,

are presented
in the first movement.

The items in
the second movement

are fresh catches of the day.

Certain items that can only be found
seasonally are served.

Some of the fish is raw,
while some is cooked.

The second movement is
like an improvisation.

It's like a cadenza.

In the third movement,
sea eel, kanpyo

and egg comprise
a traditional finale.

There are dynamics in the way
the sushi is served,

just like music.

You're consuming
Jiro's philosophy with every bite.

He's watching us much more closely
than we're watching him.

I make the sushi different sizes

depending on
the customer's gender.

If I made everybody's
the same size,

it would disrupt
the pace of the meal.

So I make the sushi
a little smaller for the ladies

so everybody finishes
at the same time.

That's incredible.

If the men and women
are seated randomly,

does it make things difficult?

The first thing we do is memorize
the seating arrangement.

Man, woman,
woman, man, et cetera.

If Jiro notices
a guest using his left hand,

the next piece of sushi will be
placed on the left side.

So you adjust accordingly
for that guest.

I'm left-handed,
so l understand

how left-handed people feel.

That's so considerate.

Jiro is making more sushi now
than ever before.

Before, customers would
start with drinks.

And then they would
eat appetizers.

Then they would eat four
or five sushi at the end.

And then they would be full.

Now l only make sushi
from start to finish.

I make 20 pieces per person.

Jiro is the oldest chef

to have been awarded
three stars by Michelin.

He's in the Guinness Book
of World Records.

Nobody in their 80s
is working day and night like Jiro.

Jiro was given the Meikou Award
by the Japanese government.

He went to the award ceremony
during the day

and was back at work here
in the evening.

He said he got tired
of sitting around.

When we have good tuna,
I feel great.

While I'm making the sushi,

I feel victorious.

That's how it makes me feel.

Thank you for the delicious meal.

Take care of yourself!

- Thank you very much.
- The sushi was so delicious.

Thank you very much.

Until the end, l only want to work
with the best fish.

Yoshikazu and I have
meetings at night.

I tell him what I want
for the next day.

He sometimes tells me

that there isn't
any good fish available,

but he still comes back
with enough fish for one day.

I first noticed that good seafood
was becoming scarce

when the akagai started
to disappear.

And then the good
hamaguri disappeared.

It used to be easy
to get good anago,

but now they're gone.

If you have a sushi restaurant,

you'll have to find substitutes
for certain types of fish.

But is there a substitute for tuna?
I don't think so.

Back when I was younger,

there was never a shortage
of high-quality fish.

In the past, when I would
go to the market,

I could see the big tuna
that were just cut open

and I would ask them
to bring out the ones I liked.

That was true for any fish.

You can't find fish
like that anymore.

When we were kids,

sushi was too expensive
to eat regularly.

Now they have sushi
on conveyor belts

and in convenience stores.

Sushi is available
everywhere,

which has caused
a shortage of fish.

The problem is over-fishing.

The tuna stocks are
declining each year.

It takes 10 years for them
to weigh 100 kilograms.

Net-fishing
and bottom-trawling methods

catch everything,
even the young fish.

Regulations on catching only
bigger fish should be enforced.

Catching the smaller fish
before they've matured

lowers the overall numbers.

Businesses should balance profit

with preserving
natural resources.

Without fish,

we can't do business.

However, that doesn't mean
they should catch

all the fish
to the brink of extinction.

For posterity,

we must be conscious
of this issue.

Welcome!

It has been awhile.
How are you doing?

- How are you?
- I'm doing great!

- We're still alive!
- What are you saying?

This is my oldest son.

He looks just like you.

Thank you for gathering.

When Jiro and this guy
were in the first grade,

they were infamous troublemakers.

I wasn't a bully.

He was.

He was the number one
troublemaker.

I was number two.

Later, when you were
at school,

I was delivering lunches
for military draftees.

She brought all her friends
to the window,

they all looked down at me

and she yelled,
"He's the one who bullied me!"

I said, "I'm not just bullying her,
I'm bullying everyone!"

They'll get mad at us
if we go in.

You're not supposed to clap
your hands at a Buddhist temple.

Of course.
Did you know that?

Yes, you don't clap
in a Buddhist shrine.

You're going
to get in trouble.

It's okay,
I'm not doing anything bad.

Where is everybody?

I haven't been here
for a long time.

- The flowers are dead.
- Yes, they are.

Just water them.

I guess we were supposed
to bring flowers.

Maybe next time.

I don't know why
I come here.

My parents
didn't take care of me.

You shouldn't say things like that in front of your
ancestors.

You'll be punished.

Lots of spider webs.

When I was in school,

I was a bad kid.

Later, when I was invited
to give a talk at the school,

I wasn't sure if I should tell the kids
that they should study hard

or that it is okay to be a rebel.

I wasn't sure what advice
to give the kids.

Studying hard
doesn't guarantee

you will become
a respectable person.

Even if you're a bad kid,

there are people
like me who change.

I thought that would be
a good lesson to teach.

But if I said that bad kids can succeed
later on like I did,

all the kids would
start misbehaving,

which would be a problem.

Always doing what
you are told

doesn't mean
you'll succeed in life.

There were customers today

that came to eat
after seeing us on TV.

I am usually the one on TV
and I'm the one making the sushi,

which is what
the customers expect.

They think that Nakazawa
just carries the fish from the kitchen.

Customers think that all
Yoshikazu does is cut the fish.

They think the staff
in the kitchen has it easy.

And they think the master
making sushi has the hardest job.

But in reality,
the sushi is 95% complete

before the fish
is brought out to me.

So the guy who is
doing the least work

gets to take all the limelight.

I entrust all the preparations
to these guys.

I'm in the luckiest
position right now.

Customers still think that
he does all the preparations.

They probably do.

They think he still
does everything.

But if you think about it,

they're all just doing
what I taught them.

Is sushi easily
misunderstood?

The person making the sushi
is almost like a performer.

It is misunderstood that way.

Compared to tempura
or soba chefs,

sushi chefs are
more interesting to watch.

- That may be true.
- It's like the sushi chef is on a stage.

That may be true.

My job is the easiest!

If I don't keep working,
my body will become worthless.

If my body stops functioning,
then I will have to quit.

Or if I look too hideous to be here,
then I will retire.

It's not up to me.

If the customers see me
and think that I look too senile...

if that's what people think,
then I will have no choice.

If I stopped working at 85,

I would be bored
out of my mind.

I would be kicked
out of the house.

My wife would kick me out
for being such a nuisance.

I have been able to carry on

with the same job
for 75 years.

It's hard to slow down.

I guess I'm in the last
stretch of the race.

The Michelin inspectors said,

"Jiro's sushi is
incredible every time."

They said, "Three stars
is the only rating

that is adequate
for the restaurant."

Later on, I heard that
during the first year

that Jiro's was
checked by Michelin

Jiro didn't make sushi
for Michelin even once.

Yoshikazu was the one
who made sushi for them.

I want both of my sons
to continue on.

They both will run
their own restaurants.

I will admit I trained my sons

more strictly than
the other apprentices.

But I did so for the sake
of their futures,

not because I wanted
to be mean to them.

It's something that I thought about
from the beginning.

Even if I were
to be gone right now,

I know they can go on.

Yoshikazu just needs to keep it up
for the rest of his life.

That's what is most important.

He should just keep
doing the same thing

for the rest of his life.

Always...

look beyond
and above yourself.

Always try...

to improve on yourself.

Always strive
to elevate your craft.

That's what he taught me.