Sushi master and area resident Kyaw Say owns and operates the village’s newest mainstay food truck, Sushi Hikari, at 101 S. Walnut St., next to O&E’s Corner Cone. Say is pictured holding up a piece of bright pink tuna — fresh as it possibly could be without it still swimming. (Photo by Reilly Dixon)
‘Fully Cooked Sushi’ rolls into Yellow Springs
- Published: August 6, 2025
By El Mele
Earlier this summer, a fresh fish food option rolled into Yellow Springs — and its here to stay.
Sushi Hikari — known online and around town as “Fully Cooked Sushi” — offers American and traditional Japanese sushi, as well as a smorgasbord of other Asian fusion dishes.
Cooking out of a food truck parked next to Corner Cone at 101 S. Walnut St., Sushi Hikari is open for business; hours are noon–8 p.m., Tuesday–Saturday.
Owner Kyaw Say — pronounced “Jaw Say” — has been operating the food truck since summer 2023, but his history with sushi extends long before that. While living in Akron, he worked with Advanced Fresh Concepts, a Japanese company that runs the sushi bars in various Kroger Marketplaces across the country.
Say told the News he was sent to all 50 states to train sushi chefs, but after years of traveling, he settled at Kroger in Springfield with his wife, May Moe, and son. In 2021, Say and May opened Sushi Hikari Moe in downtown Springfield at 101 S. Fountain Ave. His wife took over operating the restaurant when Say expanded to the food truck.
After his time running the restaurant and now his truck, Say said he noticed that folks from the Midwest often don’t know what sushi actually is.
“Most people think of sushi as raw fish, and when they see the phrase ‘fully cooked sushi’ on the menu, they argue with me,” he said. “Sushi actually means ‘vinegar rice’ in Japanese, so you can make sushi with what you want. While traditional Japanese sushi is made with raw meat, American-style sushi is made with fully cooked meat, like chicken and crab.”
Say sought to educate the public through opening the truck; it’s one of the only sushi trucks in Ohio, and Say has traveled up to 75 miles away to breweries and for festivals.
“When I realized there were no other sushi trucks in the state, I thought, ‘I’ll have to do it myself,’” Say said. “That’s why I opened this truck and travel; so I can educate people about Japanese food. Most of our menu is fully cooked — besides the couple Japanese sushi and nigiri items on the traditional menu. We can also cook the raw meat options, like salmon and tuna, if people want to try them cooked.”
Say wants his customers to know that not only is sushi a healthy meal, but also that he caters to those who are gluten-free and vegetarian.
The truck is air conditioned, so it remains cool enough to handle raw fish. Say’s cuisine is fresh, and new rice is cooked every day — all menu items are made-to-order to ensure freshness. Say said customers are even invited to come in and watch him make their order.
When asked why he chose Yellow Springs, Say stated, “Yellow Springs has nice, educated people, but it also has visitors from all over the country. Name another town in Ohio that has all that. This is the coolest town in Ohio!”
“Hikari” means “light” and “illumination” in Japanese, and Say said he certainly plans to light up his customers’ day with his food.
“I came to Yellow Springs to make people happy,” he said. “Whatever you decide to eat, I’ll make you happy with my food.”
To keep up with Sushi Hikari, its hours, menu and specials, look up the food truck on Facebook by searching “Fully Cooked Sushi,” or go to http://www.streetfoodfinder.com/fullycookedsushi. Kyaw Say can be reached at sushifullycooked@gmail.com or at 937-765-3461.
*El Mele is a freelance reporter for the News.
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