Akira Sushi & Hibachi Closes In Solon

SOLON, OH — Akira Sushi & Hibachi has closed. Anna Saito, one of the restaurant's owners, said she has decided to retire and spend time with her family.

The restaurant's final day was Feb. 2, according to a letter sent to customers by Saito. Akira had been open since 1998.

"You have been a beautiful and deeply appreciated part of the magic of Akira and from the bottom of my heart, each and every one of you will always be a cherished part of me. It was a privilege to share your lives, your special moments and memories, your laughter and your tears," Saito wrote.

The Akira website said Anna and Hank Saito — two Japanese natives — left Manhattan, where they operated another restaurant, and came to Solon in 1998. The couple were looking for a family-friendly community to raise their children. They opened Akira and became part of the fabric of Solon.

"We are sad that Akira is closing after 20 years in Solon. If you had the opportunity to eat at Akira then you were sure to be welcomed by Anna and her contagious smile. We wish Anna and her staff well," Solon city officials said on Facebook.

Read Saito's entire letter below.

Time can be a nebulous thing. Seasons ebb and flow and the rich tapestry that we call Life often blurs past so quickly we barely notice how many cycles around the sun we have traveled. It is the most precious of commodities.

And as time passed, Akira became so much more than a restaurant. It became a place where lives touched, a meeting place of shared dreams, joys, happiness and celebrations where friends and family gathered around a central nucleus, the ever humble table, to talk, to laugh, converse and share a meal.

We hope that Akira has enriched your lives and touched your hearts as much as it has enriched and touched ours. It was always our intent that everyone who walked through the doors of Akira would be more than a customer. Over the years you have become our friends, our extended family and that is why my personal Rite of Passage has been such a bittersweet and painfully difficult decision.

After over three decades in the restaurant industry, I have decided to close Akira, retire and spend time with my husband and family. Our final evening was Saturday, February 2nd.

You have been a beautiful and deeply appreciated part of the magic of Akira and from the bottom of my heart, each and every one of you will always be a cherished part of me. It was a privilege to share your lives, your special moments and memories, your laughter and your tears.

I thank all of you for that privilege and wish you well in your personal journeys and future travels on roads unknown. Life is Beautiful and made more poignantly beautiful because of YOU.

I am forever grateful.

Photo from Google Earth