Mizunaga-san, the owner and chef of Suicho, was born in Hikone and worked in Kyoto for many years as a chef. In 2006, he opened his first restaurant in Hikone. In 2014, the restaurant was moved since he wanted to open in the Fukuromachi district with a counter-seating only restaurant. The name, Suicho, came from the kanji of his last name, Mizunaga, which is pronounced “Suicho” in the Chinese reading. He is proud to serve special dishes of fresh Kyoto-style seafood cuisine.

He cooks with the motto, fueki ryuko, or “continuity and change,” a famous saying of the haiku master, Matsuo Basho. While preserving the techniques of traditional Japanese cuisine, he also explores new ideas and methods in pursuit of the true spirit of Japanese food. Unafraid of speaking his mind, he enjoys conversing on all kinds of topics. The nice thing about counter seating is that you naturally start socializing with others. So, please feel free to start up a conversation. He is happy to share plenty of advice and info about the district to help you enjoy your visit.

“I belong to a group of younger business owners here in Fukuromachi, and I want to try new things to energize the area,” said Mr. Mizunaga. He added that his many treasured encounters over the years continually reaffirm his faith in the value of community. “The best part of Fukuromachi is getting to meet so many great people. I hope to see you here soon!”