Taka's Story
Taka Watanabe has been making sushi for over 20 years. He arrived in the U.S.
in 1986 from his native Brazil, where he was raised by Japanese parents but
educated in Portuguese. His parents instilled in him a love of good food, and
cooking. He remembers fondly watching his mother make sushi for the family on
special occasions. As soon as he arrived in the Bay Area, he immediately found
work in a Japanese restaurant, where he quickly learned to make sushi. In
1989, he met and married his wife, Susan, and shortly thereafter, relocated to
Sacramento.

In Sacramento, he apprenticed under the watchful eye of Shige Tokita of Shige
Sushi for six years. Shige, a classically-trained chef from Japan, was all
business, and quite a stickler for detail. Taka re-learned to make sushi "the
proper way."It was tough in the early years, but Taka credits Shige with
"everything I now know about making sushi."

In 1998, Taka opened his first sushi bar in Midtown Sacramento with a former
partner. In 2001, he opened Taka's Sushi in Fair Oaks with his current partner,
Peter Kwong. In 2003, Taka sold his shares of his Midtown restaurant to his
former partner, and focused entirely on the Fair Oaks location. In 2005, Taka
and Peter partnered with Buu "Billy" Ngo to open Kru Restaurant in Midtown
Sacramento. Finally, Taka and Peter had the opportunity to re-lease the site of
Taka's first restaurant in Midtown. After an extensive remodel, Ju Hachi was
born.