Saying Goodbye to Hana as the Beloved Valley Sushi Institution Prepares to Serve Its Final Nigiri

A sad season for foundational Japanese cuisine in the Valley of the Sun got exponentially sadder this week when chef Lori Hashimoto announced via social media that she and co-owner Lynn Becker would soon close Hana Japanese Eatery, ending the iconic restaurant’s 19-year run at its original north-central Phoenix location. Via a phone interview shortly after the announcement, Hashimoto allowed for the possibility of a resolution to the lease dispute at the center of the closure, but the impasse re