Authenticity, quality, and affordability can go hand in hand. Although we position ourselves as a fine-casual restaurant, we always use culturally genuine recipes and the freshest ingredients so that the taste of our food exceeds that of most full service Japanese restaurants. In our unique business model, we offer a carefully curated small menu, but we make everything extremely well and better than anyone we know. All of our food is made right in front of you in our open kitchen. We don’t have a backroom or freezer for storage because we don’t need it. All of our fish and produce are purchased fresh every morning from local fishmongers and grocery stores. We operate a lean business model for a simple reason: so we can focus our resources on making the best Japanese street food possible while passing on the savings to you.

PinKU Japanese Street Food is a compelling local story performing an art form rooted in culture, entertainment, and education. Chef John Sugimura tells our story in this excerpt:

“In 1917, my grandparents immigrated in their 20s to northern California from the Japan islands of Kyushu and the Chubu region. Their dream was to set up permanent residence in the United States to start a family and business. For context, women in this country were granted the right to vote under the 19th amendment in 1920. Overcoming the loss of a husband and a child, my grandmother’s single-parent spirit persisted and that spirit has been passed on to me.

Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, like all Japanese Americans, my family faced increased hostility and discrimination. My Japanese-immigrant grandmother and her American-born children endured racial prejudice as my grandmother operated a restaurant that thrived and contributed to the community of Sacramento, California.

This landscape dramatically changed on February 19, 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. The order cleared the way for the forced removal of all Japanese Americans from the west coast. By the spring of 1942, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced into hastily-built “assembly centers.” My family was forced into Tule Lake. They experienced incarceration behind barbed wire and living in barracks. In 1946, my family left the war camp with five pieces of luggage. My family eventually moved to Minnesota where I was born and raised. Our strong spirit persisted. This is our story!

Revisiting the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California in August 2017 brought back many memories about my grandparents, father, aunts, and uncles and their story. It was not that long ago my father and I strolled the museum and talked about what times were like in the camp as we walked through an exhibit on the incarceration. We talked about persistence, spirit, and opportunity. Now, extending our story to PinKU presents an opportunity many of my relatives will never see but will always be the invaluable part of.”

PinKU Japanese Street Food is the ultimate expression of flavors, colors, and cooking methods in an authentic experience that is one of a kind. Japan is a sensory wonderland; its food scene is no exception and a great way to bring people together.

Our principles of Japanese cuisine and sushi: In the spirit of Chef John Sugimura’s obaasan (Grandmother Tsui, 1896-1960): harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility; promote the true spirit of Japanese cuisine and traditional sushi; educate proper techniques; and share the integrity of Japanese cuisine and sushi.

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