Kamehachi is the oldest sushi restaurant in Chicago and has been run by three generations of women. Here is the story of these successful and hard-working women, as told by Giulia Sindler and her mother, Sharon Perazzoli.

“Kamehachi has a long history of being a woman-owned business. My mother and I have worked over the years to carry on the family tradition of our Japanese restaurant. In this month celebrating International Women, it’s important for me to pay tribute to the generations of women in my family who have worked and sacrificed to build our restaurant.  Here is our story as told by my mother.”  

 

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Sharon Perazzoli, second-generation owner of Kamehachi

 

“My mother, Marion Konishi opened Kamehachi in 1967 (directly across the street from The Second City), and it’s been a fixture in Old Town ever since. “Kamehachi” translates from the Japanese to “eight turtles” – the number 8 and the turtle both symbolize longevity and good luck.

 

My mother was relocated to a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during WWII, where I was born, and my family settled in Chicago after the war.  There was a large Japanese community in Old Town back then, with many Japanese businessmen traveling to Chicago. My mother saw an opportunity, as there were no traditional Japanese restaurants in town. She partnered with her cousin (who had opened a sushi restaurant in New York the year before), and that is how Kamehachi got its start here in Old Town.

 

Marion brought over chefs from Japan and made the daily drive to O’Hare to pick up freshly flown-in fish. Kamehachi quickly became popular amongst locals for its quality sushi and Japanese food. My mother worked tirelessly.  She was famously tough and everyone called her “The Dragon Lady.”  After a short while, she bought out her cousin to become the sole owner.

 

I became a professional dancer touring across the states, while my mother established Kamehachi as a beloved spot for both locals and celebrities. She always felt the customers were the key to her success. Without them and their loyalty, she would not have succeeded. 

 

Unfortunately, all the long hours took their toll, and my mother fell very ill. I moved back to Chicago to take care of her until she passed away in 1990.  She was later honored for her remarkable impact on the community in 2008 with a street dedication of “Marion Konishi Way” at the corner of Schiller & Wells – where Kamehachi was at the time. The restaurant moved in 2011 to 1531 North Wells, where it still stands today.

 

Kamehachi is a testament to resilience, dedication, and hard choices. I think that’s why we’ve been so fortunate in an industry that sees hundreds of restaurants come and go each year. Today, my daughter Giulia and I are proud to carry on my mother’s tradition. We both have fond memories of Japanese community events like the Ginza Holiday Festival, when the community gathered to socialize, dance, and enjoy chicken teriyaki. We have worked to transform Kamehachi into a place where people come together to share meals, exchange ideas and experience culture. We’ve built a theater on the second floor that plays host to concerts, stand up shows, and music events. We’ve partnered with the Japanese American Service Committee and the Japanese Culture Center to participate and coordinate community events. And yes, we still serve delicious sushi!

 

Though Old Town has changed since my mother’s day, Kamehachi will hopefully continue to be an integral part of the neighborhood and a vibrant gathering place for the community.”