Tokinokura's Restaurant

Yumi Chiba, the second-generation owner of Conger eel fish and bamboo sushi, is devoted to pursuing the classics of Edomae sushi. In 2022, she renovated her store and stopped holding banquets and catering, instead changing to a simple style where she only holds food in front of customers. This is simply because she was determined to see how much she could make use of old Edomae techniques.

The sushi fish are purchased from all over the country, but many are caught on the foreshore of Shizuoka. Tokaido Chu Hizakurige at Tobesha Ikku uses sakura shrimp, horse mackerel, sea bream, flatfish, sweetfish, etc. for the specialty ``Nagato zushi'' of the teahouse in Koyoshida (present-day Kuniyoshida). This indicates that fish from Suruga Bay were prized even back then. Mr. Chiba's father, Katsutoshi Takeuchi, the restaurant's founder, attempted to recreate Nagato Sushi over a decade ago, and Mr. Chiba also plans to make it while learning from others, and one day commercialize it and add it to the menu.

In addition to learning and preserving classical techniques, Chiba believes that one of his roles is to pass them down widely throughout the world. In partnership with a kimono shop in Shizuoka City, Kawane served Edomae sushi to women in kimono and talked about its techniques and spirit, and in collaboration with a tea shop in Kawane, Kawane brewed sushi in various ways for each sushi chain. Entertaining foreign tourists by pairing them with tea is just one part of their efforts.

``The family business, which I hated the most when I was young, has now become my favorite job,'' says Chiba. Classic Edomae sushi, which requires different preparations depending on the seeds, is very time-consuming and cannot be called efficient. Still, ``Making sushi in the olden days is our way of doing things, and it's our strength.I think it's worthy of me devoting my life to it as a craftsman.'' As Chiba faces forward, there is no hesitation at all.

For his own training, he went to a tuna specialty store in Toyosu and learned authentic knowledge and techniques from professionals in the field.

The photo shows a person holding a knife for dissecting tuna.

A sushi restaurant is the perfect place to go out in a kimono. An event for women where you can enjoy stories about Edomae sushi and Edo culture along with sushi.

Interesting stories about fish produced in the prefecture

*From the article “Introducing the winners of The Worker of the Year 2023”

``This is the path I chose because I love it, so there is no escape route.'' Yumi Chiba, the second-generation owner of Conger eel fish and bamboo sushi, speaks with a gentle smile. She once left her family's sushi restaurant and worked as an office lady in Tokyo, but when she got married, she returned and helped at her restaurant, where she learned from her father and uncle's craftsmanship who were particular about Edomae style. I was fascinated by the work. She started liking things she hated. She was so impressed by it. Since then, she has attended various study sessions, participated in national competitions, sought the teachings of her predecessors, and continued to improve herself. Mastering Edomae sushi is not an easy task. Cutting, boiling, grilling, dipping in vinegar, salting, marinating in sauce... Unseen by anyone, he uses all the techniques of Japanese cooking to perform delicate work at each step.

When it comes to sushi, you only have to judge it yourself and only choose what you are sure about. Omaezaki's ``surfing mackerel'' is one of them. Must be an intact fish weighing 2.5 to 4 kg caught by pole-and-line fishing. The fat content must be 10% or more. Draining blood on board. I became a fan after learning about the passion the fishermen put into their new brand. Although their suppliers span the country, more than half of their fish are caught within Shizuoka Prefecture. The blessings of Suruga Bay are so deep and large. On the other hand, all of the ingredients used to harden the sides are produced in the prefecture. The tea is from Kawane, the soy sauce from Kakegawa, and the wasabi from Utoki in Abe Oku, Shizuoka. Among them, Mr. Chiba has a special fondness for real wasabi produced by Utoki, saying, ``It has a good aroma, strong flavor, and is sticky, so you can easily add it to the seeds with your index finger.''

When you stand at the boardroom, you can directly feel the customers' thoughts. I am attacked by fear and nervousness. You may feel unsure about whether this is really the right thing to do. After suffering from a serious illness, Chiba gained the strength to take on challenges. Her determination to ``give it all in each moment'' gave her the strength to overcome it. Women are also becoming more active in the world of sushi chefs. Chiba was selected as one of CNN's Top 5 Japanese Women along with world-class athletes and conductors, but she is still pursuing her old, Edomae-style work. She believes that serving the delicacies of Suruga Bay with Edo-style techniques is her way to make the customers in front of her happy.

With the 11th generation of Maruichi Farm at Wasabi Field in Utoki. Wasabi is a vegetable native to Japan and is attracting attention from all over the world as a symbol of Japanese food culture. Utogi is said to be its birthplace.

He has received offers from countries all over the world for overseas programs and is striving to spread the word about Japanese culture. Her photo was taken to commemorate the occasion with reporters visiting from France, the country of gourmet food. The father of the store's founder is pictured in the upper right corner of the photo.

*From the article “Introducing the winners of The Worker of the Year 2021”