#Jiro dreams of sushi movie

The movie's chief off-site destination is the city's massive, bustling Tsukuji market. Gelb sometimes takes his digital camera outside the two restaurants, although only once to document a personal trip. Takashi, who seems to have gotten the better deal, runs a more affordable branch of Sukiyabashi Jiro in Roppongi, a less staid Tokyo neighborhood. He will replace his father when - or should that be if? - the old man retires. The older, Yoshikazu, is second-in-charge at the original restaurant, in the basement of an office building in the upscale Ginza district. But both have accepted Dad's profession and techniques. They never experienced the deprivations that still motivate their father. Two of the movie's main supporting characters, Ono's sons, have a somewhat different perspective. For Ono, who as a young boy was abandoned by his father, hard times started well before American bombs began falling on his homeland. Ono's is a tale of discipline, ritual and obsessiveness, all of which are characteristic of Japanese craftsmen - especially the ones who had to rebuild their country and their lives after World War II. But most modestly sized Japanese eateries don't draw gourmets from around the world, or charge upwards of $300 (depending, of course, on the exchange rate) for a 30-minute meal. Small restaurants are common in Japan, as are family-run businesses like Ono's. His top-priced restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, has but 10 seats, yet earned three Michelin stars.

#Jiro dreams of sushi movie

The crux of David Gelb's documentary can be expressed in numbers: Ono still works daily, although he was 85 when the movie was shot in 2010. First-timers, however, may wish for a little more context. The movie's first word is oishi, Japanese for 'delicious,' and what follows is a treat for sushi veterans.

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief smokingĪ bite-sized view of Japanese culture, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, is nearly as meticulous as its subjects, Jiro Ono and his Tokyo restaurant.