Born in Tochigi, Japan, Masa is the second son in a family of five children.His parents owned a fish shop and a catering business. He grew up cookingand learning the trade since he was a child. After he graduated fromhigh school, he moved to Tokyo, where he worked at the legendary GinzaSushi-ko. He began working as a dishwasher to eventually gaining his status of a sushi chef. In 1980, Masa moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in a number ofsushi restaurants before opening his own. With the permission from his former boss in Japan, he adopted the name Ginza Sushi-ko for his new restaurant. Hence, the overseas sushi temple was born. Almost twenty years after earning his fame in Los Angeles, Masa is ready for a new challenge. He sold Ginza Sushi-ko to his sous-chef and moved to New York to open the eponymous Masa and Bar Masa at the Time Warner Center in February 2004. Masa has demonstrated himself not only as a chef but also as an artist. His reputation has been reinforced by numerous recognitions, includingForbes 5-star award, New York Times 4-star review, and Michelin 3-star award.