All Welcome: Kurashiki’s Present Appeal and Future Potential

Katsumi Kusumoto
Chief Chef of Saido, Funfair Co., Ltd.
Transitioned from French cuisine to Japanese cuisine.

Awarded “The World’s Most Popular Vegan Restaurant” in 2019
At a U.S. event in 2023, there was a waitlist of 2,000 people.
From Kurashiki City.

Q : Could you share your thoughts on the charm of Kurashiki and Okayama, including the city's culinary offerings?

The rich natural landscape and the nostalgic white-walled streets give the region an exceptional charm. Visiting Ohara Museum of Art or enjoying coffee in a traditional townhouse offers unique experiences for visitors from overseas. I used to walk these streets as part of my school route 30 years ago, there are now significantly more international visitors, which makes me feel the area has immense potential. The views from Washuzan are stunning, and the high quality Kojima denim can certainly attain international recognition. I look forward to seeing how the region evolves to attract more attention from abroad.

Okayama, “Land of Sunshine,” is known for producing Japan’s best peaches and muscat grapes, as well as having abundant seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. In addition, the rice, yellow garlic chives, Senryo eggplant, Momotaro tomatoes, and much more that grow the fertile lands, refined by the skills of local producers transcend international borders. For example, at my restaurant, Saido, we serve a simple corn soup during the summer. While this dish is familiar around the world all our customers are amazed by the sweetness of Japanese corn. In Los Angeles, luxury supermarkets sell Japanese sweet potatoes as high-end delicacies. What we, from Okayama, consider ordinary often turns out to be extraordinary.
By viewing Kurashiki and Okayama from an outsider’s perspective, we are you to make new discoveries in our own home. And by welcoming people from around the world and hearing their perspectives we can create newer and better experiences for all who visit Okayama.

What do I think Kurashiki has to offer? Setting aside my bias because it is my hometown – delicious food and a prestine natural landscape.

Q : Could you share your thoughts on the importance of including vegan options when creating a diverse culinary culture?

Dietary restrictions are common in cultures, many of which involve limiting animal-based ingredients such as beef and pork. A vegan diet that excludes animal products, seafood, dairy, and eggs can also address about 70% of allergies that exist among Japanese people.

I’ve noticed many tourists from Taiwan in the Bikan Historical District and I learned that approximately 15% of Taiwanese people are vegetarians. And among Western visitors, I have noticed the number of vegetarians and vegans is increasing.

Gastronomy is important for attracting tourists.

At my restaurant Saido in Jiyugaoka (Tokyo), a little away from the city center, we get many international visitors every day. Most of the customers who visit come to Jiyugaoka specifically to dine at Saido.

Food, like cultural resources and landscapes, can be a deciding factor in choosing a travel destination. This is certainly true when I think about my own travel choices.

I believe there’s no need to overcomplicate—edamame, chilled tofu, and french fries are vegan.

Vegan-friendly menus are easy to create, and often already exist within the existing menus. By first understanding the rules of veganism many chefs might discover that dishes they already serve can be vegan-friendly. For example, if chilled tofu comes with bonito flakes, it can simply be replaced with radish sprouts. That alone makes the dish vegan-friendly.

My suggestion to those looking to become more vegan-friendly is to start by introducing things gradually, from a place that feels natural, and see how the demand grows.

I believe the demand is there.

If it were me, I would offer “Colorful Vegetable Bara Chirashi (Sushi)” in Kurashiki. A vegan-friendly dish that is also appealing to non-vegans. This is an important point as well.

Q : Please give us your thoughts on "All Welcome" Kurashiki's future potential and your hopes for the region?

According to a survey by the National Tourism Organization, more than 60% of overseas visitors are repeat travelers. Thus, the proportion of visitors choosing regional cities as travel destinations is also going up; people are not just visiting major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
Kurashiki has high potential due to its accessibility from popular areas like Osaka and Hiroshima. Regarding the food and beverage industry, multilingual support and catering to dietary diversity are a must.

On top of that, it’s important to be more conscious about human connections. I have learned while operating my restaurant that proactive communication with international visitors directly leads to customer satisfaction.

These are all important points in order to realize a region that is truly “All Welcome.”

While multiple factors contribute to the tourist experience, e.g. transportation, accommodation, and tourism infrastructure, I hope that by working on “All Welcome” in the food sector, the diverse offerings will lead to improved satisfaction of foreign visitors in Kurashiki.