Japanese Influx with Shigezo Downtown and "Exciting" at Lovely Hula Hands

Spotted on North Mississippi: a giant banner promising exciting Japanese flavors in the old Lovely Hula Hands space. In other Japanese restaurant news, Grant Butler has the scoop on new tenants for the long empty Pinocchio space across from South Park at 910 SW Salmon St. They are the Tokyo-based Shigezo Japanese Restaurant chain and the PDX version scheduled to open June 1 (presumably after taking down Pincocchio's bizarre long-nosed artwork). User reviews give the Honolulu Shigezo about a B+. Good news for the newly vegan Butler: he says "the restaurant is also known for vegetarian and vegan dishes."
· New Japanese restaurant Shigezo coming to long-vacant Pinocchio space in downtown Portland [The Oregonian]
· Previous Grant Butler Coverage [EaterPDX]