Nobuhiro Sakanishi

After high school, Nobuhiro Sakanishi began his sushi education with his uncle before dedicating 12 years and 8 months to Kawasho, a legendary Hakata sushi institution, where he mastered the Kyushumae tradition of showcasing the freshest local catch over aged or preserved ingredients. He opened Chikamatsu in the Yakuin district of Fukuoka, operating on a strict introduction-only basis from a nine-seat counter that highlights the bounty of Kyushu's fishing waters through both otsumami and nigiri. The restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars in 2014, and bookings are often full a year in advance.