Endo Kazutoshi was born in Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city, and is a third-generation sushi master, following the legacy of his grandfather and father. His grandfather opened a sushi restaurant in the 1940s, where Endo spent much of his childhood, learning about the craft at the local fish markets. His mother introduced him to other disciplined art forms, which greatly influenced his approach to sushi and omakase. Judo taught him physical discipline and inner harmony, while ikebana (flower arranging) instilled an appreciation for beauty and balance. He also learned humility and togetherness from the chadō tea ceremony, and grace from Nihon-buyo dance and Shodo calligraphy. These experiences deepened his respect for his heritage and the importance of balance, contrasting with his love for punk music—a symbol of non-conformity.
Endo’s journey took him from a judo scholarship at Kokushikan University to Tokyo’s top omakase restaurants, where he honed his skills by observing masters at work. After practicing traditional edomae sushi-making, he joined the esteemed sushi master Akitoshi Ohno at Narita, where he spent two years exploring contemporary interpretations of sushi. In 2006, Rainer Becker, founder of Zuma, invited him to lead the Knightsbridge restaurant in London. Endo embraced the opportunity, exploring new ingredients and techniques as Zuma expanded globally. He also broadened his culinary understanding by cooking at The River Café. Inspired to bring a new omakase experience to London, Endo spent four years developing his vision, which culminated in the opening of Endo at the Rotunda in 2019. Within six months, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. We catch up with Endo and found out what he loves about one of the world’s most exciting cities, Tokyo.
Tell us about the area that you are from and what makes it your home.
I am from Yokohama, it’s just south of Tokyo but very well connected to the main city – you can be in Tokyo in 15 minutes. Tokyo is an incredible city. It’s full of people, music, fashion, food and more. There is always something new to do or something new to see, which is a source of inspiration for me, as a chef and as a local. The city is also so large, you can even do some hiking around Lake Okutama in western Tokyo.
Where are your favourite places to eat and shop?
I love Ginza, I think it has fantastic energy. It’s a place where you can find a real mixture of people from all walks of life, from artists and musicians to businessmen and politicians. Whenever I go to Ginza I always have unagi (eel) from Chikuyotei, here I get an Edo style unagidon. Ginza is also a great place to get a drink; there are many bars lining the streets and alleys, where you can get both high-end cocktails and just simple beers. For shopping I enjoy thrifting in Harajuku, it’s a centre of youth culture in Tokyo. I also like the Koenji Station area which is great for vintage shopping and feels a bit more local.
How would you spend a perfect day in the town/city?
Tokyo has a bit of everything, and I like how varied my days can be in the city. I enjoy going to museums and art galleries. For relaxing, I would go to Hama Rikyu, which is a nice landscape garden located alongside Tokyo Bay, or I would go to the Meiji Shrine which is near Harajuku. Depending on what mood I am in, I may go to an izakaya that plays punk music, which I love. Alternatively, I could go to my family’s favourite restaurant back in Yokohama, Ohta Nawanoren. It hasn’t changed much since I was a child and I enjoy going there to taste familiar flavours.
What is your favourite thing about the town/city?
I love Tokyo because it has such a good balance of old and new. Tradition exists alongside modernity in a way that is inspiring to me. I come from a line of sushi chefs, so tradition is very important to me, but I also love punk music which is my rebellious streak. In Tokyo, this makes perfect sense and I enjoy the spirit of the city.
Any other local insider secrets we should know about?
There is a preconception that Tokyo is very expensive, but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can get excellent yakitori and beer for under £1, or you can even grab lunch at a convenience store or conbini like Lawson or Family Mart. The egg salad sandwich is a big hit with both tourists and locals. Japanese food is not just sushi and there are a lot of cheap and delicious dishes like soba or omurice that you can try.
To follow Endo on Instagram visit here and for reservations and more information about Endo at the Rotunda, visit here.
Endo Kazutoshi was born in Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city, and is a third-generation sushi master, following the legacy of his grandfather and father. His grandfather opened a sushi restaurant in the 1940s, where Endo spent much of his childhood, learning about the craft at the local fish markets. His mother introduced him to other disciplined art forms, which greatly influenced his approach to sushi and omakase. Judo taught him physical discipline and inner harmony, while ikebana (flower arranging) instilled an appreciation for beauty and balance. He also learned humility and togetherness from the chadō tea ceremony, and grace from Nihon-buyo dance and Shodo calligraphy. These experiences deepened his respect for his heritage and the importance of balance, contrasting with his love for punk music—a symbol of non-conformity.
Endo’s journey took him from a judo scholarship at Kokushikan University to Tokyo’s top omakase restaurants, where he honed his skills by observing masters at work. After practicing traditional edomae sushi-making, he joined the esteemed sushi master Akitoshi Ohno at Narita, where he spent two years exploring contemporary interpretations of sushi. In 2006, Rainer Becker, founder of Zuma, invited him to lead the Knightsbridge restaurant in London. Endo embraced the opportunity, exploring new ingredients and techniques as Zuma expanded globally. He also broadened his culinary understanding by cooking at The River Café. Inspired to bring a new omakase experience to London, Endo spent four years developing his vision, which culminated in the opening of Endo at the Rotunda in 2019. Within six months, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. We catch up with Endo and found out what he loves about one of the world’s most exciting cities, Tokyo.
Tell us about the area that you are from and what makes it your home.
I am from Yokohama, it’s just south of Tokyo but very well connected to the main city – you can be in Tokyo in 15 minutes. Tokyo is an incredible city. It’s full of people, music, fashion, food and more. There is always something new to do or something new to see, which is a source of inspiration for me, as a chef and as a local. The city is also so large, you can even do some hiking around Lake Okutama in western Tokyo.
Where are your favourite places to eat and shop?
I love Ginza, I think it has fantastic energy. It’s a place where you can find a real mixture of people from all walks of life, from artists and musicians to businessmen and politicians. Whenever I go to Ginza I always have unagi (eel) from Chikuyotei, here I get an Edo style unagidon. Ginza is also a great place to get a drink; there are many bars lining the streets and alleys, where you can get both high-end cocktails and just simple beers. For shopping I enjoy thrifting in Harajuku, it’s a centre of youth culture in Tokyo. I also like the Koenji Station area which is great for vintage shopping and feels a bit more local.
How would you spend a perfect day in the town/city?
Tokyo has a bit of everything, and I like how varied my days can be in the city. I enjoy going to museums and art galleries. For relaxing, I would go to Hama Rikyu, which is a nice landscape garden located alongside Tokyo Bay, or I would go to the Meiji Shrine which is near Harajuku. Depending on what mood I am in, I may go to an izakaya that plays punk music, which I love. Alternatively, I could go to my family’s favourite restaurant back in Yokohama, Ohta Nawanoren. It hasn’t changed much since I was a child and I enjoy going there to taste familiar flavours.
What is your favourite thing about the town/city?
I love Tokyo because it has such a good balance of old and new. Tradition exists alongside modernity in a way that is inspiring to me. I come from a line of sushi chefs, so tradition is very important to me, but I also love punk music which is my rebellious streak. In Tokyo, this makes perfect sense and I enjoy the spirit of the city.
Any other local insider secrets we should know about?
There is a preconception that Tokyo is very expensive, but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can get excellent yakitori and beer for under £1, or you can even grab lunch at a convenience store or conbini like Lawson or Family Mart. The egg salad sandwich is a big hit with both tourists and locals. Japanese food is not just sushi and there are a lot of cheap and delicious dishes like soba or omurice that you can try.
To follow Endo on Instagram visit here and for reservations and more information about Endo at the Rotunda, visit here.
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