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As most of immigrants, I came to America with hopes and dreams. In 1980 at the age of 23, I started to work in the restaurant business. I was a dishwasher, busboy, chef, and manager and soon I clearly redefined my goal in life: “To serve my community by bringing true Japanese food and service.” And so with the little money I have saved. I purchased a run down restaurant in Simi Valley and opened my first restaurant where the daily sales average was only 200 per day. I put my heart, effort and all that I have to each customer, which at that time was only 15 people a day! Although, it was hard in the beginning, I knew that my dream was becoming reality.

However, little by little the restaurant was turning around, and in no time, I was buying the space adjacent to me and six months later I bought the space next to that. Furthermore, I increased the sales to more than 100,000/month. In 1987, I sold my first restaurant in Simi Valley in order to make a brand new restaurant in Oxnard that embodies my concept and style. It was a success from the beginning with sales averaging over 200,000/month. It was at this time when, I started to think about my second passion: “Golf”. With money in hand and a very successful restaurant, I sold all my assets and opened the largest golf retail shop in Los Angeles in 1991 with 15,000 s/f of shopping area. Although I loved golf, my golf business didn’t do well and 4 years later I was forced to start all over again. It was the hardest time of my life.

And so, I came back to my first love and with a renewed heart I started “Yamato Restaurant” in Agoura Hills.In order to maintain a strong position within the Japanese restaurant market, I introduced “Kura Sushi” in 2004, which utilized the latest technology in sushi, with automated revolving sushi, which has a computerized freshness control system, with sushi making robots, dishwashing robots, etc. Not only is Yamato a leader in the fine-dining restaurant but also hopes to become a leader in the fast casual dining segment as well. “Kura Huntington Beach” is opening in Spring 2007 and 3 other potential locations are being discussed.

A sign of our success, are the restaurants we are opening. In 2006, we opened “Yamato Laguna Hills” with an overwhelming success. Excited about our future, we are constructing 5 new locations. Investors are calling me, asking me to ways to be part of Yamato’s success. Therefore, in 2006 we have opened our company’s doors to allow investors to be part of our restaurant by becoming FRANCHISEE. This is truly a dream come true.

My Motto: “Customer satisfaction, Customer satisfaction, Customer satisfaction”

1. Satisfy the customer by treating them like family.
2. Satisfy the customer by providing quality Japanese food
3. Satisfy the customer by giving them good and healthy food.
4. Satisfy the customer by delivering prompt and professional service
5. Satisfy the customer by offering choices in our vast menu selection
6. Satisfy the customer by handing reasonable prices
7. Satisfy the customer by having a clean restaurant

Key of Yamato Success.

I can attribute many key reasons to Yamato’s success but the most important of all is my employees. I have been extremely blessed for having a solid, effective management infrastructure and many times I have had guests from other restaurants coming to my office to learn not only our management infrastructure and training programs but also our operating system. Restaurant is a people business and in order to satisfy my customers I have to have a solid team. Another reason is the personal touch we bring to each location. The ambiance and décor bring the customers to a very romantic retro Japanese era, a period where the Yamato spirit was alive and well. Customers experience Japan and the spirit of Yamato, through our employees, food, service, and ambience.