How the obanzai buffet cafe came to be
This interview was conducted during our first visit in April 2019.
Could you tell us how you came to start an obanzai buffet cafe?
Sumiko Miyake (surname omitted hereafter)
Kurashiki Sabo Ouka began as a subsidiary of Tora Shoyu and is now independently operated.
We started it because we felt that “we needed a place not only to make soy sauce, but also to show people how to use it.”
These days, people don’t use soy sauce as much. For sukiyaki, they use “sukiyaki sauce”; for ginger pork, “ginger pork sauce.”
Home cooking has disappeared, and we started with the hope that there would be a place where we could suggest, “You can do all this with soy sauce.”
Even though the location is a little hard to find, it’s so popular that a line forms outside on holidays.
Sumiko Miyake
At first, I never thought it would become this popular.
There are no restaurants around here at all. Even an udon shop would open and then close down almost immediately.
The location is hard to find and the atmosphere can make it difficult to come in, so it hasn’t been easy. But after we were featured on television, we gradually became established.
Rika Miyake (surname omitted hereafter)
Happily, some families come every week.
It’s not just mothers and children; grandmothers come along too, and people of all ages enjoy dining here.
I don’t think we would have been popular during the bubble era, but these days people are looking for this kind of simple, wholesome food.
Many people come back, saying, “I don’t get to eat vegetables in my everyday life, so I came here for them.”
Popular obanzai dishes
Which obanzai dishes are popular?
Rika Miyake
Japanese-style okara salad and sato no ko-age.
At first, I didn’t think they would become regular menu items, but customer feedback led us to make sure they’re always available.
Recently, konjac has become very popular too.
Some people come all the way here just to eat konjac, and it’s very popular with children as well.
And some people keep eating beans because they’re so light (laughs).
Creating the space as a traditional-house cafe
What special care have you taken in creating the space?
Sumiko Miyake
We’re committed to using local products.
For example, we sell handmade goods by woodcarvers and ceramic artists from Okayama.
We also use Bizen ware and Kurashiki Glass for our dishes.
We had the noren (traditional shop curtain) at the entrance custom-made by someone who makes noren in Katsuyama (present-day Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture).
We asked them to use the colors of pine, cherry blossoms, and water (the river and pond), inspired by Sakazu.
Thoughts on and commitment to soy sauce
Finally, could you tell us about your commitment to soy sauce and your plans for the future?
Rika Miyake
There are many different kinds of soy sauce. We make sure guests can enjoy the flavors of various kinds in our obanzai dishes.
Our soy sauce products are popular too, so I hope people will try the egg-on-rice with yellow chives soy sauce.
In the future, I’d like to offer soy sauce-making experiences and sell our carefully selected soy sauce by the measure.
As a homemaker, I feel it’s such a waste to throw away soy sauce bottles and plastic bottles.
People used to save and reuse soy sauce bottles, but that’s become less common nowadays.
I’d be happy if people could enjoy the taste of home cooking using our carefully selected soy sauce.
From the Writer
At Kurashiki Sabo Ouka, you can enjoy an obanzai buffet in the nostalgic atmosphere of a traditional Japanese house.
Their commitment to soy sauce and the gentle flavors of the obanzai, prepared with care and time, conveyed a warm attentiveness to food.
After spending time at Sakazu Park, it might be nice to stop by for a family meal.
When you try the obanzai for yourself, you’ll feel a gentle warmth spreading through your heart.
Be sure to stop by.
- Photography: Yoshino Nako
Kurashiki Sabo Ouka details
| Name | Kurashiki Sabo Ouka |
|---|---|
| Address | 2429 Sakazu, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-441-8713 |
| Parking | Available 4 spaces |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. *Lunch service ends at 3:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Thursday |
| Payment methods |
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| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 24 seats total: ・Four 4-person tatami seating areas ・Four 2-person tatami seating areas |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Kurashiki Sabo Ouka Instagram |
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