MAY 27, 2025

6 life lessons from the Sushi Master - Jiro Ono

Images: Shutterstock

Jiro Ono, a 99-year old runs a 10-seat sushi bar hidden in a Tokyo subway, known globally for its precision, discipline, and pursuit of culinary perfection. 

Image: www.instagram.com/sukiyabashi.jiro/

His restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, holds 3 Michelin stars and once served President Obama, who called it the best sushi he had ever tasted. Here are his 6 actionable mastery rules for a happy life. 

Image: www.instagram.com/sukiyabashi.jiro/

“Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job.”

Rule 1: Fall in love with your job

“There is always room for improvement. I can make sushi better. I do the same thing but try to make it better. That’s the spirit of the shokunin.”

Rule 2: Never settle

“You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success.”

Rule 3: Discipline is everything

“Ultimate simplicity leads to purity. If you do the same thing every day, you naturally gain extraordinary depth.”

Rule 4: Pursue simplicity

“I prepare sushi, but I’m actually preparing myself. Perfection comes from repeating the same thing every day with care.”

Rule 5: Be obsessed with details

“I do not care about stars. I don’t want to be a celebrity. All I want is to make better sushi.”

Rule 6: Let go of fame

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