Instructor Profile | 兵庫県芦屋の Making Nigiri Sushi sKool K 慶 Sushi Lessons at Home

Keitaro Yamaguchi

Keitaro Yamaguchi was born in 1965.

His father owned a sushi restaurant, so he grew up surrounded by sushi from an early age — delivering orders, preparing ingredients, and learning how to serve customers even as an elementary school kid.

At 19, he began his culinary career as a Kappo (traditional Japanese cuisine) chef in Kyoto. At 23, he moved to the United States and joined the Suntory Restaurant in Chicago, where he worked as a sushi chef.
During his time there, he trained American, Mexican, Thai, and other international kitchen staff in the art of sushi — helping over ten of them become professional sushi chefs. Many of his trainees are now active around the world as leaders in their own right.

After returning to Japan, Keitaro started his own business at 29 and successfully expanded it to five restaurants. By 2014, he had produced 12 independent restaurant owners through his mentorship.
He retired from management at 55, and now focuses on teaching and sharing authentic Japanese food culture.

Qualifications:

Licensed Japanese Chef
Certified Fugu (Blowfish) Handler
Food Coordinator
Wine Sommelier
Whiskey Certificate Level 2
Japanese Whiskey Certificate 2nd Dan
and more

Specialties:

Edomae-style nigiri sushi
Kansai-style sushi
Kappo and traditional Japanese cuisine
Fugu (pufferfish)
Suppon (soft-shelled turtle)
Aged and fermented dishes

Weaknesses:

Eel — still learning the ropes, even at my age.

Crab — easy to cook, but hard to eat! 😅

🍣 Message from the Instructor

Sushi is one of the most important pillars of Japanese food culture.
Over time, however, the true art of sushi has been overshadowed by conveyor-belt restaurants and fast-food versions — a far cry from the traditional Nigiri Sushi or Edomae-style hand-pressed sushi that began in old Tokyo.

While there are still chefs in Japan working hard to preserve authentic sushi-making techniques such as Nigiri, Makimono (rolls), and Oshizushi (boxed sushi), our school — Sushi sKool K — focuses especially on Nigiri, the very heart of the craft.

With today’s modern hygiene tools like disposable gloves, anyone can now enjoy the experience of making and serving Nigiri Sushi safely at home. After just a few practice sessions, you’ll be able to create sushi that feels surprisingly authentic.

Nigiri Sushi isn’t just something to eat at a restaurant anymore — it’s something you can share and enjoy with your family and friends.
Come discover the joy of making sushi with your own hands and connect with a piece of Japan’s culinary soul.

👩‍🍳 Assistant Instructor: Mika Kawata

Certifications:
Licensed Japanese Chef,
Registered Blowfish Handler,
Certified Nursing Food Advisor, and more.

🐾 Note:

Please be aware that there are several cats and dogs in the neighborhood.
We also foster rescued cats on the first floor of our classroom, kept safely in a separate area.

If you have allergies or sensitivities to animals, we kindly ask for your understanding — participation may not be suitable in that case.