User's Story #01 [uguisu/organ]

Konno Makoto, the owner and chef of "uguisu" in Sangenjaya and "organ" in Nishiogikubo, and the director and head chef of the restaurant "ORby" which will open in Azabudai Hills in November 2023, has been a customer of Kamaasa Shoten since "uguisu" opened. Kumazawa, the owner of the restaurant, spoke with Konno, who is a lover of a variety of tools such as hammered iron frying pans and Japanese knives.

Daisuke Kumazawa , 4th generation owner of Kamaasa Shoten

Tools used by "Konno Makoto": "Japanese knives"

The taste and finish are completely different.

Japanese knives are used mainly by chefs of Japanese cuisine. Unlike Western knives, which are "double-edged," Japanese knives are "single-edged" and are characterized by their ability to create beautiful cross-sections without damaging the fibers of ingredients. Kamaasa Shoten stocks a wide variety of Japanese knives in different types and sizes to suit the ingredients and cooking methods. Konno-san uses yanagiba, deba, and kiritsuke knives.

Attachment Memo

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  POINT 01 Sharpness that changes the taste and finish

  The yanagiba knife, which is perfect for cutting sashimi, is extremely useful for cooking fish. Konno-san commented, "The cuts are very different from when you cut with a Western knife. At first, I only used it to cut raw fish, but I soon started using it for other things as well."

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  POINT 02 A lean form

  "The more you focus on functionality, the simpler the design of the tool becomes. The same goes for frying pans and wine glasses," says Konno. This Japanese knife also has zero unnecessary decoration.

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  POINT 03 A little extra care

  "It's true that Japanese steel knives require a lot of maintenance. If you don't wash them after use, wipe them and dry them right away, they'll rust in 15 minutes. It's difficult if you're not careful," says Konno, and just as he explains, Japanese knives require a lot of care when it comes to maintaining them. But that "a little bit of care" is also part of his charm.

Encounter with Kamaasa Shoten

Konno-san first came to Kamaasa when he opened "Uguisu" in 2005. On that occasion, he purchased a "regular frying pan" that was not made of hammered iron.

Since then, we have been making custom-made iron frying pans and other tools for sale. They also frequently appear at events held at Kamaasa.

Konno-san
The first thing I bought was frying pans. But they weren't hammered iron, they were just normal, nice-looking frying pans.

Kumazawa
That's right. At that time, I had not yet met Mr. Konno in person. The first time we had a proper conversation was about 10 years ago when he came to Kappabashi for a magazine project.

It was around the time that we had just started selling our current signature product, Kamaasa's hammered iron frying pans, so people noticed the large space we had set up near the entrance.

Konno-san
I think it's fair to say that my first encounter with that frying pan was quite a shock, but I thought it was amazing. I think I ordered it on the spot. It was love at first sight. I think the one I bought was 23cm .

Kumazawa
The frying pans are available in sizes 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , and 26 , in 2cm increments, but Konno-san said he wanted a 23cm one. To us, 1cm seems like a small margin of error, but that slight difference of 1cm can change the amount of oil you use and make a huge difference in the way you cook, which was quite shocking to hear.

At Konno-san's request, we made it a little thicker and also made the bottom a little recessed. 

Konno-san
I had it slightly recessed so that it would have a nice football-shaped roundness when grilling meat, but it had the drawback of being unstable on the trivet.

To begin with, I only use hammered iron frying pans. When cooking food that might stick, I put oil on a piece of cooking paper, cook the food on it for about 10 seconds, then remove the paper.

Kumazawa
I see. I'm grateful and happy.

Konno-san
For example, different bowls are easier to use, so I want to choose one that is easy to use for me, but it only indirectly changes the taste of the food itself. On the other hand, frying pans and knives are directly related to the taste, so I want to choose one that will allow me to make delicious food even if it is a little difficult to use.

When I opened " organ ", I had them make the largest frying pan possible, but because it was thick, it was not only big but also heavy, and I couldn't hold it with one hand. It even gave me tendonitis (laughs). But if you think, "It's hard, but if I use this, I can make delicious food," you can't change that.

Kumazawa
Come to think of it, you also use kamado and charcoal grill roasters, right?

Konno-san
We bought the kama pot about 1-2 years after we opened " Organ ". We often hold official dinner parties when foreign wine producers visit Japan, and we always serve rice cooked in the kama pot at the end of the event, as if we were " eating rice from the same pot " .

Of course, it would be a waste to use it just for that, so I also use it to cook rice for the staff, and the rice is delicious even after it cools down. I also use the charcoal grill to grill meat and vegetables.

Why I started using Japanese knives

Konno started using Japanese knives about six years ago. He started out making raw fish carpaccio, and now he only uses Japanese knives for any type of cooking.

Although they may be difficult to use, the beauty of the cross-section of ingredients and the pleasant texture are unique to single-edged Japanese knives. It all started with a Japanese knife used by a famous chef who has passed away.

Konno-san
The reason I started using Japanese knives was because of the influence of the late Taku Sekine, a great chef from Paris. I was very close with him and he influenced me in cooking. When he returned to Japan and held an event, I sometimes worked as his assistant.

One time, he was at an event in Osaka where we had to cut up some tuna or bonito, and he said, "Makoto, why don't you try using my knife?" and lent me his Japanese sashimi knife. When I actually tried it out, it cut well, and the cut surface was just beautiful. So I wanted to try it out myself, and I bought one right away.

Kumazawa
I see. That's the first time I've heard that story.

Konno-san
I bought one and tried cutting meat as well as fish, and it was good for meat too. Once you see the difference, there's no going back. At first, I used it in conjunction with a Western knife, but I started using it for things other than sashimi, and now I don't use Western knives at all.

Kumazawa
I see. But it may be even harder to use than a hammered iron frying pan.

Konno-san
Western-style knives are more suitable for French cuisine. They have a curved tip, which allows you to cut through food with force. I think that if Japanese knives also had a curved tip, they would be more versatile.

Kumazawa
surely! It seems possible. We also wanted to make a single-edged Japanese knife suitable for everyday use. When I heard that story from Mr. Konno, I was convinced that what we were thinking was not wrong.

In fact, it is thanks to Mr. Sekine that Kamaasa Shoten's Paris store has been able to do so well. He was a very important person to us, so I felt very emotional when I heard that Mr. Konno was introduced to Japanese knives through him.

What to look for in a tool

"When choosing tools that indirectly affect the taste, I prioritize ease of use," says Konno. The kitchen at "organ" is lined with easy-to-use tools that Konno has searched for both in Japan and overseas. However, Konno says, "There are still tools I want to improve (laughs)."

Konno-san
Tongs are extremely easy to use when the gaps are perfectly aligned. That's why we crush them ourselves before using them. If there are tools that are easy to use, we also stock up on them at 100- yen shops.

I've been looking for a French-made turner like the one I'm using now. It's a narrow type, but it's so easy to use that all the staff want to use it. 

Kumazawa
Wow, I'm learning a lot. I think we could make something like this at home. Let me measure the size. We sell tools every day, but we don't use them, so we really appreciate hearing from customers like you.

Konno-san
The appeal of Kamaasa for us chefs is the haute couture-like service we receive. We look forward to working with you again in the future.

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.