Longtime JMK Nippon Chef Faces Crisis—How Rockford Can Help

If you have ever been to JMK Nippon you have felt the presence of this joyful human or had the ultimate pleasure of having him cook an amazing meal for you. Takuji has been there since the very beginning in 1984 and now he needs our help after a recent fall resulting in major spinal cord injuries.

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My first visit to JMK Nippon was in the summer of 1995, it was the first time I'd ever been to a Japanese teppan-style restaurant. And one more first, it was the first time I met Takuji. My food was incredible and so was the personality creating that delicious food. My friend needs help. My friend's family needs help. If you've ever had the pleasure of eating the food created by this man, PLEASE KEEP READING!

On February 18, Takuji fell and hit his head on his van. The fall crushed his spinal cord between the C6 and C7 vertebrae.

Please join me in helping Takuji and his family with the GoFundMe account that has been set up.

Dear friends, family, and community,

We are reaching out to you all to support an amazing and hardworking hibachi chef who has faced an unimaginable challenge. Takuji Sakiyama was involved in a serious accident Tuesday, Feb 18.

He fell and hit his head, resulting in crushing his spinal cord between the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Thanks to his doctors and by the grace of God, he is currently recovering well from surgery in the ICU with some improvement in mobility. There is still a long road ahead with his recovery. While the physical and emotional toll has been overwhelming, Takuji is showing incredible strength and determination in his recovery.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of working with him or enjoying his incredible skills and lively presence at JMK Nippon, you know how dedicated Takuji is. This accident has left Takuji unable to work, and as he continues his recovery, we are asking for your help to ensure that Takuji can focus on healing without the added stress of financial concerns.

Click HERE to be a part of getting Takuji back on his feet.