Jiro Ono

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Lore & Background

Jiro Ono was born in the city of Tenryū (present-day Hamamatsu) in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He started working at a local restaurant from the age of seven, before moving to Tokyo to study as an apprentice. He became a qualified sushi chef in 1951, and in 1965 opened his own restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, in Ginza, Tokyo. Ono has served then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and United States President Barack Obama at Sukiyabashi Jiro. Obama stated, 'I was born in Hawaii and ate a lot of sushi, but this was the best sushi I've ever had in my life.' Ono has two sons, Yoshikazu and Takashi Ono, both of whom are also sushi chefs. Takashi, the younger son, manages his own Michelin-starred restaurant. Jiro Ono was the subject of David Gelb's 2011 documentary film Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The Onos fear that overfishing will cause key ingredients used in traditional sushi to disappear. As of 2023, Ono has stepped away from day-to-day management of Sukiyabashi Jiro due to ill health and Yoshikazu now primarily runs the restaurant. On October 27, 2025, Jiro Ono turned 100. A month before, on Respect for the Aged Day, Ono said he wanted to continue working and making sushi.

Reader's Guide

Jiro Ono's significance lies in his status as a master sushi craftsman whose innovations in sushi preparation have influenced modern sushi worldwide. His restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, became internationally renowned after serving high-profile figures such as Shinzo Abe and Barack Obama, and after being featured in the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Ono's legacy includes his two sons, both sushi chefs, with Takashi managing a Michelin-starred restaurant and Yoshikazu taking over Sukiyabashi Jiro after Ono's retirement due to ill health. The Onos' concern about overfishing highlights the environmental challenges facing traditional sushi ingredients. Ono's continued desire to work into his centenary year underscores his lifelong dedication to his craft. His 2016 book Sushi: Jiro Gastronomy further documents his techniques and philosophy.

Did You Know?

• Jiro Ono started working at a local restaurant from the age of seven.
• He became a qualified sushi chef in 1951.
• He opened his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1965.
• Barack Obama said of Ono's sushi: 'I was born in Hawaii and ate a lot of sushi, but this was the best sushi I've ever had in my life.'
• On October 27, 2025, Jiro Ono turned 100, and a month earlier on Respect for the Aged Day he said he wanted to continue working and making sushi.