CREATIVE CUISINE THAT SOOTHES YOUR BODY
USING PESTICIDE-FREE AND ADDITIVE FREE INGREDIENTS

Starting with food
to create a better society

Watarigarasu is a spiritual name meaning “pioneer” used by Native Americans. Owner Chef Hidetaka Murakami, named his restaurant after the bird because he felt that the bird represented his love for travel. He has traveled to more than 20 countries and since opening Kitchen Watarigarasu in 2009, he has not missed his annual trip to visit producers across Japan. Murakami believes that the taste of the soil influences the taste of the vegetables, therefore he purchases pesticide-free vegetables directly from farmers he trusts. This means that the health of the soil is just as important as the health of the people eating it.

All the ingredients used at Watarigarasu are pesticide and additive-free. The sauces are homemade and made with natural ingredients. When purchasing ingredients, he prioritizes producers who are committed to environ-mental issues. He believes that by sharing the same vision and working together with these producers and his customers, no burden is put on the earth and also help the economy, which is exactly what Kitchen Watarigarasu is aiming for.

Murakami gained interest in the fashion culture when he was a teenager and became very curious with the problems within the production background of fashion. He also studied architecture as a student and in his mid-twenties he founded the magazine “Raijin” with the desire to make the society a better place. “I believe that people cultivate their spirituality by eating the spirit in the ingredients” Murakami explains. He published several series that featured a foresight that fits perfectly into this era, like the introduction of natural farming.

Overtime, his means of expressions shifted from magazines to his speciality, cooking. His motto now is to be a driving force of social reform through healthy and delicious food. Kitchen Watarigarasu’s cuisine cannot be categorized into any genre. While incorporating the basic Ayurvedic method of eating seasonal foods to maintain good health, he also offers dishes that fit in with the mood of the moment.

Murakami is like a magician when using spices

Handmade edamame falafel with a perfect balance of spice

This summer, Murakami started a children’s cafeteria located at the restaurant on an irregular basis. One of his main motives is to revive the humanity that has been forgotten in Ebisu, where the number of independent shops have decreased year after year. As long as the local people are happy, he does not mind working without compensation and with that in mind, he sets a very low price range (from 10 to 50 yen) which is cheaper than the costs of the ingredients and does not include labor costs. He believes that making children happy will influence the adults around them and this will hopefully lead to a brighter future. Murakami hopes that the seeds of kindness that he plants using Watarigarasu will sprout beautifully and root deeply into the soil.

The snacks he makes for the Childrend’s Cafeteria are all vegan

The Children’s Cafeteria is open every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month