User's Story #03 Yuri Nomura [eatrip/eatrip soil]

Yuri Nomura has been involved in various activities to explore the possibilities of food, such as producing catering food, cooking classes, serializing in magazines, developing recipes, and supervising food for movies and TV shows. Many people may know that she opened restaurant eatrip in Harajuku in 2012 and grocery shop eatrip soil in Omotesando in 2019, and has been conveying the power and richness of food to people while respecting producers, the wild, and the seasons.

He has a deep connection with Kamaasa Shoten, and the owner, Kumazawa, appeared as a guest on J-WAVE's "SARAYA ENJOY! NATURAL STYLE," hosted by Nomura. This time, we visited "eatrip soil," where Kumazawa sells Kamaasa's iron-hammered frying pans and cutting boards, to talk to him.

Daisuke Kumazawa , 4th generation owner of Kamaasa Shoten

The tool used by "eatrip" is the "Kamaasa rice cooker"

Even in a modern kitchen, you can enjoy the deliciousness of rice cooked in an iron pot or stove.

Kamaasa Shoten believes that rice tastes best when cooked in an iron pot or stove, and after a long process of trial and error, they completed the "Kamaasa Rice Pot" in 2019. The combination of an iron pot with good thermal conductivity and high heat retention, and a Kiso sawara pot lid that is highly absorbent and does not transfer aromas to the rice, makes it possible to cook fluffy and crisp rice. Nomura has been using it since it was first released.

Attachment Memo

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  POINT 01Can be used with any heat source, including induction

  When Nomura opened eatrip soil in 2019, he was troubled by the fact that it could only be used with induction. "In my opinion, most of the tools that can be used with induction cookers don't make delicious food. But this rice cooker is different. At first, it took me a while to get used to it because it's different from gas cookers, but I soon got good at using it." You can cook delicious rice with both induction and gas cookers.

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  POINT 02 A versatile product that naturally keeps you warm

  Ironware has excellent thermal conductivity and heat storage properties, so it is easy to adjust the heat when cooking rice, and heat does not easily escape when steaming. "It's also great that it retains heat naturally," says Nomura, giving his stamp of approval to its capabilities. "You can also make delicious seasoned rice with ingredients," he adds.

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  POINT 03 Fluffy rice cooked with a Kiso sawara kettle lid

  The lid of the pot is made of sawara wood, which is oil-rich and resistant to moisture, and has grooves on the underside that fit the pot, which allows the pot to be airtight and produces fluffy rice.

Encounter with Kamaasa Shoten

Nomura-san's relationship with Kamaasa Shoten began around the time of the rebranding in 2011. Since then, we have had the opportunity to work together on various occasions.

Kumazawa
I think the first time I properly recognized Yuri and met her was around the time of the rebranding in 2011... about 12 years ago. I think I greeted her when she was looking at the frying pan section or something near the entrance of the store.

Nomura:
I had been going to Kamaasa for a while and had probably bought various things from them, such as bats, but I think I spoke to Kumazawa-san shortly before the rebranding.

So when the new restaurant opened, I was like, "Oh! So that's how it is!" I have a lot of foreign friends, so I started taking them there often after that. I think I've been using the iron hammered frying pan since then.

Kumazawa
That's right. Thank you. I've been listening to Nomura's radio show for a long time, and I was so happy at the time that I said something like, "I listen to it all the time!" After that, I was invited back to the show in 2014 , and again this year.

Nomura:
Kamaasa is all about Kumazawa-san. I think he is having the most fun, and I think his attitude of "good things are good!" is what is driving the company's fortunes.

Kumazawa
Yes! Really?

Nomura:
Yes. When I first spoke with Kumazawa, he said something like, "The craftsmen don't have names. The things they make aren't works of art or expressions, but there are many masterpieces there, and I want to share them with everyone," and I really related to that.

I have been doing various cooking jobs, but cooking is basically something that allows each person to enjoy food and enrich their lives a little, right? However, working in a restaurant is different in that you have to make it visible to the public. I was thinking about things like that at the time.

Nomura:
At a time like that, Kumazawa-san started to shine a light on things that were not seen by the general public. I also thought it was amazing that he was one of the first to turn his attention to people overseas.

Of course, the old-fashioned, uncluttered feel of the store was attractive, but the easy-to-understand rebranding has helped each tool stand out and made it easier to choose.

Kappabashi has changed in a good way.

Kumazawa
I would be very happy if that was how you felt. Basically, the work I do and the products I handle are the same as before the rebranding, and of course I was confident about that. But, if that's the case, I thought more people should know about it.

As for foreign customers, the number has simply increased as a result. But as the number of foreign customers has increased, it's better for them to understand, so let's make English instructions... and so things changed naturally.

We also learned a lot from great customers like Yuri, and have been incorporating that information into our store and products.

Nomura:
Come to think of it, it was around the time I started going to Chez Panisse (a restaurant that uses only local, organic ingredients and was founded by Alice Waters in Berkeley, California in 1971 ).

All the chefs from all over the world bring their own knives, but I thought I would definitely bring Japanese knives, so I brought several.

Kumazawa
Oh really.

Nomura:
Even in overseas kitchens, Japanese knives are unique. For example, long-bladed knives like sashimi knives don't exist overseas. I'm excited about that (laughs). Is there a knife that can only cut conger eel? Even now, when I go somewhere, I always take a single-edged knife with me.

Kumazawa
In Japan, there are tools for each ingredient, such as a knife just for peeling vegetables. I wonder if this level of detail isn't found in other countries.

Japanese chefs are now active all over the world, and I would like to convey that Japanese cooking utensils are behind their delicate cooking.

At Kamaasa, we are currently working on the hidden theme of "living with Japanese knives." Even though the word "Japanese" is attached to the name, there are hardly any Japanese knives in modern Japanese homes. If things continue as they are, they will disappear, so we want to do something about it.

"Kamaasa rice cooker" is a useful kettle that can be used with induction cookers

Kumazawa
By the way, Yuri, do you often use your iron rice cooker?

Nomura:
I use it a lot. This is inside a commercial facility, so I can't use gas. This rice cooker is induction- compatible, and although it takes some getting used to, it's really useful because it's easy to use.

It's made of iron, so it naturally keeps things warm, and I also use it for stir-frying. I'll stir-fry mushrooms and turn them into mushroom rice.

Kumazawa
I see. I heard before that you also use clay pots, but how does it compare to clay pots?

We have the image that clay pots cook sweet, fluffy rice, and iron pots cook rice that is the opposite of al dente, that is, rice that is chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. However, many sushi restaurants use iron pots.

Nomura:
Reverse al dente? Yes, I think so too. However, rather than the fine texture, I like the texture of the pot more.

Mix freshly cooked rice with eggs to make delicious fried rice

Kumazawa
By the way, Yuri's book "Extremely Delicious Home-cooked Meals," in which she introduces recipes that even elementary school children can make, is really great!  Our staff also tried cooking it with elementary school-aged children and said it was delicious.

Nomura:
Thank you! I've only heard good things about that book. All the cooking steps are illustrated, and I get so many emails from people saying that their kids are tired of digital devices and read the whole thing out loud to them, asking, "What should we make tomorrow?"

I'm also the type of person who never looks at recipes, but I think that pictures rather than photographs seem surprisingly gentle, which is why they make people want to make the food.

Nomura:
Speaking of which, I've been interested in yakitori lately. There are a lot more and more yakitori restaurants overseas, and I want to try it at home too. I'm thinking about getting a small grill.

Kumazawa
Oh really! Yakitori is great. There is a small grill too.

Nomura:
Another thing that I really liked after using it was the black cutting board.

To protect artisans and production areas

Kumazawa
I mentioned Japanese knives earlier, but the decline in production areas and producers of the Japanese knives and iron knives that we sell is truly serious, and in many cases, it looks like they will disappear within 10 years if things continue as they are.

We, the retailers, are also responsible for this, as we have not been able to properly convey the essence and appeal of the product. If there is still time, we would like to carefully convey this information as well. By doing so, there is no guarantee that there will be people who want to not only use the product, but also become the ones who make it.

By sharing more about the production areas and the artisans, I want to be able to move on to the next stage in a healthy way. That's what I've been thinking about lately.

Nomura:
I understand that very well. Nowadays, not only food, but the number of traditional craftsmen for all necessities of life, food, clothing, and shelter, is decreasing. Many of the craftsmen I know think that they have to do something on their own, and are trying various things within their connections.

There are also farmers and dairy farmers who do not join agricultural cooperatives and are responsible for selling their products themselves. There are no longer any people who can make wooden barrels for brewing soy sauce in wooden barrels, so in 2012 , Yasuo Yamamoto of Yamaroku Soy Sauce in Shodoshima started the "Wooden Barrel Craftsman Revival Project."

Sake is now also made using these wooden barrels for brewing.

eatrip soil

Address: 4F GYRE, 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone number: 03-6803-8620
Business hours: 12:00-19:00 (Sundays 12:00-18:00)
Closed: Mondays

PRODUCTS Products featured in this article

• 
  Kamaasa iron hammered frying pan 20cm
  ¥6,050
• 
  Knife-friendly cutting board, black
  From ¥3,190

4th generation owner of Kamaasa Shoten

Daisuke Kumazawa

Born in Asakusa, Tokyo in 1974. After working at the antique store "Pantagruel" (Ebisu, Tokyo) and the furniture and cafe "Organic Design" (Nakameguro, Tokyo), he joined his family business, Kamaasa Shoten in Kappabashi, Tokyo in 1999. He became the fourth-generation owner in 2004. In 2011, 103 years after the store was founded, he rebranded the store. In order to spread the word about tools with good principles, or "good principles tools," to as many people as possible, he provides a place for people both in Japan and overseas to have happy encounters with tools.