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Opened in 1963, Restaurant Nippon became the first Japanese restaurant in the United States with an authentic sushi bar. In 1988, they introduced authentic soba made from buckwheat seeds cultivated on their own Canadian farm. In 1989, after five years of negotiations with the FDA, they received an exclusive license to import Japanese "tiger blow fish" (tora fugu). In 2009, Restaurant Nippon owner Nobuyoshi Kuraoka was awarded the "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette" by the Japanese government for contributions to Japanese culture through Japanese food.