Japanese chef Jun Takeda opens his first restaurant this week with MaruJun, a neighborhood sushi spot in San Rafael’s West End. The debut follows a brief soft launch as the small kitchen team gradually ramps up service.

A Novato resident with nearly 30 years of experience, Takeda draws from the bold, ingredient-driven cooking of his native northern Kyushu to shape the menu. Modeled after a traditional machi no sushiya, or local sushi shop, MaruJun focuses on hand-formed sushi and small seasonal dishes known as ko-ryouri.

“Our goal is for customers to experience the feel of a traditional Japanese shop here in Marin,” said manager Yuki Nomura, adding that sushi rolls are intentionally left off the menu in favor of a selection of appetizers, nigiri, sashimi and a few hand rolls.

Starters include a garden salad dressed in black sesame, yuzu juice and sesame oil, and white miso soup made with house-made seaweed broth and fresh vegetables. Much of the produce comes from the Thursday Marin Farmers Market.

Chawan mushi, a delicate steamed egg custard with organic chicken, bamboo shoots, edamame and shiitake mushrooms; Oita toriten, tempura-style organic chicken breast served with yuzu pepper and ponzu sauce; and kuro buta shabu, black pork belly, tofu and napa cabbage in dashi broth, are also on the appetizer menu.

Sushi selections feature hon maguro akami (bluefin tuna), chu toro (medium fatty tuna) and buri (Japanese wild yellowtail), with fresh wasabi from Half Moon Bay.

Some nigiri are crafted with Tokyo edomae-style technique, using red vinegar rice and seasoned fish such as saba (Spanish mackerel) cured with seaweed, vinegar, citrus, sweet ginger and onion, and seared aburi hamachi with yuzu ponzu and jalapeño.

For those seeking variety, the maru omakase presents an assortment of five nigiri served with akadashi, a red miso soup with fish.

Seafood is sourced both locally from LaRocca Seafood and directly from Japan.

The beverage program emphasizes Japanese sake including harder-to-find varieties not often seen on Marin menus. It spans a range of styles, from ultra-premium junmai daiginjo and junmai ginjo to nama genshu (unpasteurized and undiluted), sparkling sake and rustic, cloudy-style doburoku. Bottles come from esteemed regions such as Fukuoka, Akita, Niigata and Saga.

NORIA wines, a Berkeley-based label from Japanese winemaker Nori Nakamura, are chosen to pair with the cuisine. The selection includes sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir from vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, Russian River and Santa Cruz Mountains.

A daily sake flight is available upon request, along with a few Japanese beers, shochu and low-alcohol cocktails such as the lemon sour and the wajito, a Japanese-inspired take on the Cuban mojito. Japanese soft drinks and teas round out the beverage list.

The storefront restaurant, located in a small strip mall on Miracle Mile, is a dramatic departure from its predecessor, Taqueria Cancun. After an eight-month renovation, the space has been transformed into an intimate, minimalist dining room with warm wood accents. Seating is available for up to 27 diners at modern tables and a compact sushi bar.

Takeda spent three decades at Sushi to Dai For in downtown San Rafael, most recently as the head chef and manager. After the restaurant closed March 2024, he spent time visiting chefs across the Bay Area and made two trips to Japan to further cultivate his vision.

MaruJun is open from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 2224 Fourth St. in San Rafael. The restaurant operates on a walk-in basis and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, visit marujun-sr.com or call 415-785-3739.

Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with comments and find more local food news at therealdealmarin.com.