Just one character, ‘sushi’, graces the noren. The owner-chef calls out a hearty ‘Irasshaimashi!’, an Edo-style welcome that proudly reflects where he apprenticed. He salts his fish thoroughly to eliminate moisture, concentrating the flavour as his mentor taught him to do. Sushi rice is seasoned with red vinegar and salt, never with sugar. The focus on nigirizushi and acceptance of drop-in customers preserve the spirit of the old-school sushi shop. The soul of Edo thrives even here in the geisha district of Kyoto.