You wouldn't put your soul in a dishwasher!

No rules. Don't be afraid to do whatever you want. Cooking doesn't have to have rules. I don't like it that way.

Cook more often. Don't study; just cook.

I always have dashi in my refrigerator—it's the almighty Japanese ingredient.

A lot of people think Japanese food is difficult, a lot of work. But you don't have to buy the knife I have. You don't have to train as long as I have. You can do my cooking in your kitchen.

Right after I graduated high school, I joined a sushi restaurant to learn how to make Japanese food. And then spent seven years. Then that time - that's enough. Then sushi restaurant - butchering fish and they make your body smell like fishy.

I've been making sushi for 38 years, and I'm still learning. You have to consider the size and color of the ingredients, how much salt and vinegar to use and how the seasons affect the fattiness of the fish.