How Eiji Ichimura Helped Mold the Country’s Sushi Scene

Eiji Ichimura remembers when New York City had only a few reputable, authentic sushi restaurants. The Japanese chef arrived in the United States in 1980 as a wide-eyed, 26-year-old with Tokyo training. “I wanted to learn more about American fish and New York with its wealth, cosmopolitan vibe, and center-of-the-world status,” says Ichimura, now a cool septuagenarian who has helped to mold his adopted city’s—and country’s—sushi scene. 

Ichimura opened his first namesake...