Even though sushi places are sprouting on every street corner, traditional Japanese restaurants are harder to find. We lost the excellent Tokyo, Restaurant I, and recently Mizuho Sushi & Japanese Cuisine (which has been replaced by a WiFi sushi emporium, SimpLee Sushi). All three of these spots were locally owned by native Japanese restaurateurs. One of the few homestyle Japanese restaurants left is Musashi Japanese Restaurant. Many of the city’s itamaes got their start here. 10110 Johnston Road 704-543-4378 www.musashi-nc.com