The Japanese restaurant "Omakase Ryori Suzume no Oyado" (Okeyacho, Hirosaki City) will close on December 31st.

This restaurant was founded in 1982 and only serves kaiseki course meals. The store's name comes from a Japanese fairy tale, expressing gratitude and giving back to the many people who have supported us and taken care of us.

The owner, Yoshihiko Tonosaki, is from the former Nakazato-cho, trained at restaurants in Aomori and Hirosaki, and became independent at the age of 27. He started a Japanese restaurant on the second floor of a building on Kakumi Koji, but moved to its current location seven years after opening. Looking back on those days, Mr. Tonosaki says, ``I was admiring the store's nice atmosphere, and suddenly I was approached with the idea of ​​moving there.It was an event that made me feel that my thoughts could be shared with someone else.''

Mr. Tonosaki is currently 68 years old. He said he planned to continue working until he was 70, but started thinking about closing the store after it had been open for more than 40 years. ``I wake up at 6 a.m. and get home at 11 p.m. every day. Before my health deteriorated, I thought about leaving the store in a clean state and retiring,'' Tonosaki said. The store had to wait for more than 30 minutes before putting up a panel announcing the store's closure in September.

A lot has happened in 42 years. He was in charge of dinner for JR East's luxury sleeper train "Tran Suite Shiki-shima," was selected as a Hirosaki Meister as a Japanese cuisine chef, and even provided food for architect Kisho Kurokawa.

``We have regular customers who have been using the space for three generations, and one of the part-time workers who worked there when we first retired retired and used it as a venue for a farewell party,'' says Tonosaki. ``I'm happy that our name is on the first page of that person's life,'' he says with a smile.

The menu for course meals is usually not decided until just before it is served. We consider factors such as gender, age, whether or not you like alcohol, the atmosphere when you visit, and the weather on the day of your visit, and offer dishes that suit the person at that time. ``We want to make people happy.The menu is often changed at the last minute, and I think the staff are always nervous,'' says Tonosaki.

In December, the restaurant will no longer be open for lunch due to daily preparation, and the restaurant is already fully booked until closing time, so although it will remain open, it will not be able to accommodate new customers. Mr. Tonosaki said, ``Even now, I still receive calls for reservations and requests for reservations for next year.It is thanks to all of you that our store has been open for 42 years.I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude.'' I want to,” he says.