Kunihide Nakajima

There is one word that comes into mind to describe Kunihide “Nakaji” Nakajima: Edomae.

Nakajima was born and raised in the Kanda neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan, as a true “Edokko” – a child who comes from a family lineage spanning back at least three generations in Edo (Tokyo). At the age of 18, he trained at Sushi Den Ginza. From there, his journey brought him to Ginza and Shinjuku, where he worked his way up through the ranks.

After 7 years, he was instructed to further his experience abroad, arriving in New York City in the spring of 1997. There, he continued to hone his skills at Sushi Den in Midtown, before being the exclusive featured chef at Jado Sushi in Harlem. Nakajima has always remembered his father’s dreams for him: to create his own identity as a chef and to open his own restaurant. This Spring 2020, Nakajima will finally bring his legacy to the Bowery with his debut namesake restaurant, Nakaji.