The most Hong Kong sight of all: the people
What’s the most Hong Kong thing about a Japanese restaurant? Fujisan’s owner laughs: “Isn’t it the owner himself?”
There’s no forced nostalgic decor here, just the kind of brisk yet thoughtful warmth only Hong Kongers truly get.
Photo: Fujisan Japanese Restaurant
From grooming scissors to ramen ladle: a calling 30 years in the making
This is a story about changing careers and chasing a dream, and it happened very much by chance.
“I came here in 1997, so it’s been almost 30 years,” the owner says. Before founding Fujisan, he was a professional pet groomer. From carefully trimming fur to slow-simmering broth is a huge leap, but the same dedication to craft runs through both.
“I spent more than a year and a half looking for a location. It’s my first business ever. Ending up here really was fate.” A dream half a lifetime in the making finally found its home in a steaming bowl of ramen.
Photo: Google Maps
Flying ramen: a Toronto first
You can’t talk about Fujisan without mentioning its show-stopping “flying ramen”, with noodles that appear to float in mid-air.
“I was the first to bring flying ramen to Toronto,” he says proudly. It later became a hit in Vancouver too, but what means most to him is that many Vancouver regulars still fly to Toronto just to taste the original. That commitment to creativity and quality is the Hong Kong knack for adapting and daring to go first.
Photo: Fujisan Japanese Restaurant
Behind the jokes: mistaken for Japanese, and genuine warmth
“How has my Hong Kong background shaped the place? Probably that everyone assumes I’m Japanese!” he jokes.
The food is Japanese, but the way he does business is very Hong Kong: direct, efficient and full of neighbourly care. More than polish, he cares about every guest feeling welcome when they walk in.
Photo: Fujisan Japanese Restaurant
The owner’s pick: something stylish
Asked where he goes to recharge, he recommended Chotto Matte Toronto. “It’s a fusion with Japanese food. It looks great and it’s really stylish.” That appreciation for cultures blending reflects the open, no-limits mindset he brings to Fujisan.
Photo: Google Maps
Address: 161 Bay St., Toronto, ON M5J 2S1
The story is in this bowl of noodles
If you’re passing Fujisan, step inside. See the amazing flying ramen and feel the warmth of a Hong Kong owner who went from pet groomer to restaurateur and has called Toronto home for 30 years.
Some connections happen over a sip of hot broth.
Photo: Google Maps
Address: 144 Main Street Markham N Unit 2, Markham, ON L3P 5T3