I began to think about this a couple of weeks ago when my young friend, Hayden, requested to his parents to celebrate his 9 ½ year birthday by having dinner at Sushi Den. The night Hayden came with his family I noticed that there were many more children dining with us than ever before. And I wondered, how many children might be growing up now who have an understanding of sushi and Japanese food?

I noticed that the children who were coming with their parents 15 –20 years ago have grown up now, and they have had a life accustomed to Japanese cuisine. While it may not be on a cultural par with the generations growing up with their lives influenced by TV or Computers, it warms my heart to see that gentle acceptance of sushi as a part of American life.