Maru Plus hums from open to close, a Tucson favorite where high customer ratings and word-of-mouth praise converge with reasonable prices and consistently high-quality Japanese cuisine. Regulars range from university students to families and retirees — those in the know simply know Maru Plus. The sensory appeal begins the moment you step inside: the warmth of ramen broth, the glow of neon, playful plush mascots, and a hand-painted Godzilla mural set a welcoming, distinctly Japanese mood. The menu is broad — various noodles, rice bowls, sushi, vegetarian dishes and trendy onigiri. True to the restaurant’s ethos — “Tucson’s authentic Japanese food” — Maru Plus is an extension of owner-chef Yoshimi Tashima’s passion for Japan and for her guests. She brings a wealth of culinary experience from Osaka and a determination to expand local appreciation for Japanese food culture beyond ramen and sushi—while still excelling at both.
From a young age in Japan, Tashima’s life moved on parallel tracks of art and cooking. She began cooking at age ten and never stopped, preparing delicious meals for family and friends even as she pursued art — drawing and coloring for eight hours a day. University studies in art led to a career in Tokyo’s women’s fashion industry, where she advanced from sales staff to sales manager and, ultimately, fashion designer. As much as she loved Tokyo, the tug-of-war between creative paths never entirely resolved; cooking remained a daily practice and a source of joy.
Maru Plus owner and chef Yoshimi Sashimi works hard preparing delicious sushi for her customers. (Noelle Gomez-Haro/Contributor)
Life then shifted across the Pacific. Her husband, Hiro, came to the United States first — he completed graduate school and then accepted a teaching post in Philadelphia — and she followed; both had attended the same art school in Japan. When Hiro took a position at Pima Community College, the couple moved to Tucson in 1999. Those early years, however, brought a practical hurdle: Yoshimi spoke only simple English words, such as “hi,” “bye” and “thank you.” It took several years of ESL classes and daily practice to gain basic English fluency, a barrier that made a fashion job in the U.S. elusive despite her credentials.
A serious health scare became an unlikely turning point for Tashima. Around age 30, Tashima was diagnosed with breast cancer and received surgery to remove both of her breasts — an especially difficult prescription for someone so young and driven. Recovery, however, deepened her commitment to healthy, restorative food: brown rice, seaweed, salads, abundant vegetables, fish, and tofu. The idea of sharing that way of cooking with others then became compelling, and she thought, “Why don’t I share my recipes with people?” She had worked as a server at a couple of Japanese restaurants and had become familiar with distributors. So, she decided to start her own restaurant, called Yoshimatsu. She named the restaurant after her grandfather to honor his passionate spirit of serving people starting from scratch. Later, when faced with fact that the cancer medications would prevent her from having children, she asked her doctor at 38 if it was possible to stop the medication temporarily so they could try. With the help of a fertility doctor, the plan was successful, and they had a beautiful baby girl.
The restaurant itself began modestly and grew through customer demand. In the early days, Tucson had relatively few sushi options, and Tashima opened her first restaurant in a compact, roughly 1,600-square-foot space — 10 to 12 tables — next door to where Maru Plus is located today. To Tashima’s surprise, on day one, there was a line out the door. Indeed, the first two days were “crazy busy,” driven by curiosity from people who had noticed something new opening — even though there were no signs for the restaurant. Prices were so modest, however, that the team essentially broke even despite exhausting work.
With only two or three staff on hand, the number of customers was overwhelming; a cashier/server quit because it was too busy, and Tashima found herself cooking much of the food with just a couple of helpers. She cried from exhaustion but pressed on. As demand grew, prices rose a bit to balance the budget (though never too much). The business became so busy that there were lines outside the door, and customers wanted a bigger space.
Maru Plus offers excellent, affordable Japanese food for all in a cozy, attractive setting. (Noelle Haro-Gomez/Contributor)
The new location was “huge,” in her words — a 4,000-square-foot space. The expanded operation comprised both a kitchen built for a broad menu and a busy sushi bar. Tashima relished her job, often running shifts of 12–14 staff members, and remained deeply involved with day-to-day operations.
Yoshimatsu had been voted the Best Japanese Restaurant in Tucson for almost 20 years. Then, after COVID-19, she changed the name to Maru Plus and transitioned from a service approach to a counter system. After years in the large location, Tashima wanted a small, comfortable restaurant to be closer to the customer again. The current restaurant location was originally office space; they had to put in everything — water, gas and electric lines. The result is precisely what she envisioned: a closer connection to guests and staff.
She then started another restaurant on the west side. That same mix of creativity and pragmatism shaped the second location, Maru Japanese Noodle Shop (often called Maru West), as a counter-service style restaurant, just prior to COVID-19. With roughly a year to establish operations, the team was fortunate to enter the pandemic with a loyal customer base already in place. While many restaurants closed, Maru West was able to remain open for takeout and delivery, both to serve customers and to keep staff employed. Remarkably, business remained steady. The expansion to a second location, Tashima says, came from her love of trying new things. Takayuki “Taka” Takagi, a sushi chef Tashima has worked with for more than 14 years, heads Maru West.
The crowd remains broad: college kids, elders and families, with weekends at dinner the busiest. People praise the prices as “very reasonable” and “inexpensive,” and online reviews consistently mention high value. Tashima sees it as simply offering a fair, standard price for quality food. Maru Plus is not only a sushi or ramen shop; it is a Japanese restaurant in the fullest sense. Sushi, sashimi, and rolls share space with ramen and udon (the Japanese pasta in traditional bonito broth or veggie broth), curry rice, tempura, tofu, chicken appetizers, vegetable and vegan dishes, and lunch specials, such as soba, tempura and sushi combinations. Many rice bowls — salmon, tuna and more — have become favorites among students. A complimentary toppings bar of sauces, vegetables and seaweed also allows guests to personalize their meals. The dining room is lively and personal: Tashima used her skill in art to paint two murals there, one a giant bowl of ramen and the other Godzilla happily eating noodles.
As for what comes next, Tashima keeps her eyes on the future. She travels to Japan every year to research what is new — food, culture and fashion — and to consider how best to adapt those ideas in Tucson. “When I see something new and good happening in food in Japan,” Tashima states, “I bring it here to Maru in Tucson for my customers to enjoy.”
The goal is always the same: To improve, to be helpful to customers and to respond to what guests truly need. “It is,” she admits with a quiet smile, “a busy, busy life.”
But in the alchemy of Maru Plus — art, health, family and food together — busy looks a lot like joy.
AloJapan.com