MARU SAN
Our Food:
THE NIKKEI TRADITION
Made at the counter. Served immediately.
Handrolls are built one at a time—fresh rice, phenomenal fish, crisp nori wrapped at the last second. Eat it right away. Don't let it sit.
The Sakura Maru
In 1899, a steamship named Sakura Maru crossed the Pacific carrying nearly 800 Japanese immigrants from Yokohama to the port of Callao, Peru. They arrived seeking opportunity, bringing with them the discipline, technique, and deep respect for seafood that defined Japanese cuisine. Their landing marked the beginning of the Nikkei community in Peru — a story of resilience, adaptation, and cultural exchange.
As generations settled along Peru’s coast, Japanese precision met the vibrant ingredients of their new home: bright citrus, fiery ají chiles, native herbs, and the bounty of the Pacific. What emerged was not fusion, but evolution — a new culinary language where sashimi was touched with leche de tigre, where soy met rocoto, and where tradition was re-written through Peruvian flavor.
Maru San honors this journey. Our counter dining and tasting menu experience celebrate the spirit of the Sakura Maru — serving hand rolled Nikkei sushi alongside Peruvian dishes that reflect over a century of shared history. Every roll is a continuation of that first voyage: Japan to Peru, past to present, carried forward one bite at a time.
Sourcing
It starts with the fish. Chefs Carlos & Simon buy what’s coming in best right now—picked for highest quality and with an eye on keeping you and our oceans healthy. The rest stays simple so the fish doesn’t have to fight for attention.
No heavy sauces. No distractions. Just the right pieces, put together the right way.
What is Nikkei?
Nikkei cuisine was born from the wave of Japanese immigration to Peru in the late 19th century, where traditional Japanese techniques met the ingredients and flavors of the Peruvian coast. Over generations, this cultural exchange evolved into a distinct culinary identity, blending seafood, precision knife work, and Peru’s citrus, chiles, and aromatics.
Peru in the details
Look closer and you’ll catch it—tiradito-style brightness, ají amarillo, and the kind of clean heat that makes seafood taste more like itself.
simple Ingredients
Made to order, handed to you right away.
Rice, fish, nori, and a few accents.
That's it. No filler.
Healthy by design.
