Made up of nigiris, small dishes and rolls, the seasonal omakase menu changes by the month. Inheriting the style of Sushi Saito, Kawaguchi first lays out all the sushi ingredients on a cutting board for the guests to see. It’s hard to hold back the excitement from all the flavors you’ll soon be enjoying.

The feast begins with a series of small dishes. Shako, or Mantis shrimp, from Hokkaido is simmered and served in dashi. It has a sweet and refined flavor. Grilled abura bozu, or butterfish, is first marinated in red and white miso, sake and sugar, and served with wasabi and grated daikon radish.

For his first two nigiris, Kawaguchi likes to serve white fish. I like to choose two seasonal fish that are different in texture and flavor so guests get to enjoy the contrast, he says.

He is also very particular about the temperature of the nigiri. He curates the order of the menu and controls the temperature of the ingredients based on the thickness and fattiness of the fish. The correct temperature brings out the best flavor of the ingredient, he explains. He molds each piece carefully into a beautiful oval to make sure that the rice and fish fall apart in your mouth.

The order of tuna courses usually begins with akami, or lean tuna, then onto fattier chutoro and otoro, the chef explains. The fish is sourced from Yamayuki, the same wholesaler as Sushi Saito. The day’s tuna was caught off the coast of Choshi in Chiba Prefecture.

Kohada, or gizzard shad is first marinated with salt then in vinegar. Kawaguchi makes sure the sushi has a stronger flavor during the summer months, while keeping the flavor lighter in the winter. The fish is best served at a slightly cool temperature for the best flavor. Sagoshi, or baby Spanish mackerel, is marinated as zuke, a traditional Edo-style method.

Conger eel is salted first in dashi for a plump texture. It’s warmed to the right temperature just before serving. Aka ika, or red squid, is softened with fine slits and served with a pinch of salt and sudachi citrus.

For the finishing courses, Kawaguchi likes to serve a futomaki roll with tuna, shiitake mushrooms, cucumber, egg and Japanese tiger prawns. A bite of sweet inari sushi wraps up the meal. INGREDIENTS As a former apprentice of Sushi Saito, Kawaguchi can procure from top vendors across Japan such as Yamayuki, which specializes in tuna. He also buys tilefish, rockfish and sea urchins caught in the Seto Inland Sea from fishermen in his hometown of Ehime. For the sushi, he uses aged Akita Komachi rice, flavoring it with red vinegar and salt. The red vinegar is made by Yokoi Brewery. Ida Salt comes from Numazu in Shizuoka. The fresh wasabi is grown by Sugiyama Farm in Umegashima.