INDIANAPOLIS — Sakura Japanese Restaurant has served Indianapolis’ north side for decades. After announcing it will close Nov. 13, with its final service scheduled for Nov. 12, the restaurant is drawing an outpouring of support.
About 30 minutes before the restaurant opened Sunday evening, a line of nearly 40 people stretched from the front of the building to its side. Customers waited for one last meal at a restaurant many said had become a favorite gathering place.
“I think it’s sad, but 40 years, so I can see the owner getting tired, and it’s a good way to exit, but their fans are going nuts,” Mary VanHoy, a longtime customer, said.
VanHoy said, “They were one of the first Japanese restaurants (in the 80s), so when I heard they were closing. I said, ‘ Let’s make a trip.’”
The restaurant said online that it could no longer operate at its current location after receiving an unexpected notice. It said the building’s age, maintenance needs, and safety concerns prompted the decision to close.
Soji Sato opened the restaurant in 1987. “Rocky” Iwamoto and his family, including his daughter, Sachika Iwamoto, have managed and operated it since then. Sato and Iwamoto will continue preparing sushi through the restaurant’s final days, according to the restaurant’s online announcement.
“This was never what we had planned, and the suddenness of this situation has been just as difficult and unexpected for us. Making this announcement is incredibly heartbreaking for our entire Sakura family.”
Customers said Sakura is more than a restaurant. For many families and friends, it has been a place to gather and make memories.
Jae Ebert has eaten at the restaurant since the 1980s. He said it is the best Japanese restaurant in Indiana — and possibly the country — while remaining affordable. He celebrated his children’s birthdays and other milestones at Sakura. On Sunday, he brought eight family members, including his grandchildren, for one last meal.
“It’s sad because it’s a hometown place. It’s small, the food is amazing. Of all the places in Indiana, it’s the place we keep coming back to.”
Sakura is accepting reservations only during its final days and has stopped serving lunch to keep up with demand.
