Interview with Masahiko Hirotani, owner of Yamato
For about 50 years, Yamato has been making delicious ohagi in Tamashima.
We interviewed Masahiko Hirotani, owner of Amato no Mise Yamato, a specialty shop devoted to ohagi.
We asked him about how the shop got started, what makes its products special, and his hopes for the future.
Ohagi have been the sole focus since the shop opened
First, could you tell us how the shop got started?
Hirotani (honorific omitted)
The shop was founded in 1971. It was my father who opened it.
I’m the second-generation owner.
I haven’t heard the details of how my father started the shop, but it seems he began it on a whim.
We’ve been devoted solely to ohagi since the shop opened.
I can only speculate, but perhaps it was because there weren’t many specialty ohagi shops at the time, and there was steady demand for ohagi.
By the way, both the shop’s name and location have stayed the same since then.
Taking over as the second-generation owner after working as a company employee
How did you come to take over the shop?
Hirotani
I took over the shop about 20 years ago, around 2000.
Before taking over, I worked as a company employee.
While working there, I also helped out at this family business during busy periods.
Even though I’d helped during busy periods, it was hard at first after taking over.
I felt the pressure, too.
Still, somehow, I managed to keep going (laughs).
When are your busiest periods?
Hirotani
As you’d expect, our busiest times are the spring and autumn equinox periods, when people offer ohagi to their ancestors. We also sell a lot during Obon.
We sell about 2,500 pieces on a weekday.
Of course, we sell even more on weekends and during busy periods.
What kinds of customers do you get?
Hirotani
People of all ages and genders seem to enjoy ohagi, so our customers are a real mix.
In the past, most of our customers came from Tamashima and the surrounding areas of Kurashiki City.
But gradually, customers started coming from farther away, too.
These days, it seems people come from outside the prefecture on weekends and other days off.
Some even travel from quite far away.
Trial and error to preserve the shop’s flavor
What makes your products special?
Hirotani
We’re particular about the ingredients we use.
Ohagi are made with simple ingredients:
glutinous rice, azuki beans, kinako, and sugar.
So we choose the best ingredients we can.
I suppose our commitment is to preserving the shop’s flavor.
Things change with the times, so we’ve made fine adjustments through plenty of trial and error.
We’ve tried different ingredients and made the sweetness milder, for example.
Striving to make even more delicious ohagi
What are your hopes for the future, or is there anything you’d like to try?
Hirotani
Since I do the same work day in and day out, I suppose my hope is to keep doing things as we always have.
Even so, I always work with the mindset of asking myself, “Can I make ohagi that taste even better?”
I’d like to keep striving to make even more delicious ohagi without compromising the flavor we’ve maintained until now.
Yamato’s ohagi are so good you’ll keep eating them
A line forms outside Yamato every day before it opens, and the ohagi sell out by noon.
Some customers even make a special trip from far away.
But once you’ve tried Yamato’s ohagi, you’ll understand why.
Whether you choose anko or kinako, after eating one of Yamato’s ohagi, you’ll find yourself reaching for another before you know it. They’re delicious and easy to eat.
The sweetness of the chunky anko is truly just right. Although it’s a shop for people with a sweet tooth, I think even those who don’t like sweets will find the ohagi easy to enjoy.
And they’re delicious enough to satisfy even those with a sweet tooth.
The kinako isn’t sweet, either, so you can really enjoy its flavor.
There’s sure to be a line, but I hope you’ll try Yamato’s ohagi at least once.
Amato no Mise Yamato details
| Name | Amato no Mise Yamato |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-8-14 Tamashima Chuo-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Phone | 086-522-5055 |
| Parking | Available 7 spaces |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m. until sold out |
| Closed | Wednesdays Also closed when a public holiday falls on a Wednesday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted Reservations and hold requests are not available |
| Seating | None |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | No restroom |
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