Hello, I’m Kumi. I live and cook in Kamakura, Japan.
Okatte (お勝手) is an old Japanese word for the kitchen — the everyday kitchen at the back of a home, where family meals are made. This blog is my okatte, and you are welcome to come in.
A life in the kitchen
My parents both worked, so I started cooking as a child. I didn’t choose it — it was simply my job at home.
In my twenties, I studied in England. Even there, I cooked rice in a pot on the stove and made my own meals.
12 years at an imported-goods store
Back in Japan, I joined Sony Plaza, a well-known imported-goods store. Over 12 years there, I worked in many sections: kitchenware, home goods, stationery, character goods like Paddington Bear, and even clothing. At that time, Sony Plaza was one of the first shops to bring the best everyday goods from Europe and America to Japan. Everything was new and exciting.
That is where I met Lagostina, Le Creuset, Alessi, and many other brands. My Lagostina pressure cooker and my Le Creuset pot are from those days — and I still use them today.
I learned one simple thing there: when your tools are fun, cooking is fun.
My own shops in Kamakura
After that, I opened my own shop in Kamakura: a Provence-style home goods store. I loved the textiles of Provence, so I imported fabrics directly from small workshops in France. I ran the shop for six years.
Later, I helped people open their own shops. Then I became the manager of a restaurant specializing in Japanese sake for six years. Sake, like miso and soy sauce, is made with koji.
During those years, a friend organized excursions for visitors from overseas, and I hosted a class called “Onigiri Lesson and Sake.” We made rice balls together and tasted sake side by side. Seeing my guests enjoy simple Japanese home food was a joy — and it is one of the reasons I started this blog.
Until the end of 2026, I also run a small restaurant in a shared kitchen, serving koji dishes. My restaurant menu has always been an extension of my home cooking, so these dishes are not going anywhere. I will keep cooking them at home, in my okatte — and sharing them here with you.
Why I love koji
I have always loved making preserved foods. Shio koji, shoyu koji, miso — I enjoy the making itself.
What I love most about koji is the umami. It adds a deep, natural flavor and brings out the best in each ingredient. You can use it as a seasoning, as a dressing, or just as it is.
I even have a small koji machine at home, called Kamoshico, to make shio koji easily.
What you’ll find here
On this blog, I share:
- Japanese kitchen tools that real Japanese families use every day — and that last for years
- Koji recipes, simple enough for any home kitchen
- Everyday Japanese home cooking — not restaurant food, but the food we eat at home
I want to bring the taste of Japan closer to you. Japanese home cooking is simple, wholesome, and delicious. I hope you’ll give it a try.
Letters from my okatte
Every week, I also write a letter about my kitchen and life in Kamakura. Subscribe on Substack
You can also find me on Pinterest.
Thank you for visiting my okatte.
— Kumi