I wanted to feature people who are active in their work by utilizing the humanity they have cultivated through kendo. That was the idea behind the BUSHIZO interview articles. Until now, I have interviewed people active in the entertainment industry, but there are also many kendo practitioners who are active in the business world.

This time we spoke to Tanamachi-san, who runs a shop in Kitashinchi, a prime location in Osaka!

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Tsukasa Tanamachi

After graduating from high school, he entered the world of sushi chefs. In November 2018, he opened "Sushi Tanamachi" in the prime Kitashinchi area of ​​Osaka. The restaurant is frequented by top athletes in the Kansai region, creating a secret boom in the kendo world. He holds a 6th dan in kendo.

Interviewer and writer: BUSHIZO Uejima

Photo: BUSHIZO Kudo

Why did you decide to become a sushi chef?

-This private room has a kendo vibe to it, which is quite intriguing... It's a bamboo sword, right?

*Ceiling of private rooms

Tanamachi: "That's right. I'm hammering the bamboo swords. I think that even customers who come to the store for the first time will know that I practice kendo."

-The kendo logo is also very effective on your business card (laughs).

Tanamachi : "Thank you very much. I had a junior kendo student design it for me."

-Where did you start kendo, Tanamachi-san?

Tanamachi: "I'm originally from Fukuoka Prefecture. I started kendo in the first grade of elementary school. I continued kendo through high school, and immediately after graduating I started working in the sushi business."

-What level are you at now?

Tanamachi : "I'm a 6th dan."

-It must be no easy feat to obtain the 6th dan while being busy with work.

Tanamachi : "After graduating from high school, I was away from kendo for about eight years. When you're young, there's just so much to do and so much to remember. I barely had time to sleep. When I turned 26, my work life settled down quite a bit, so I started looking for a place to practice nearby. I've been continuing ever since."

-Have you always wanted to resume kendo?

Tanamachi : "That's right. I even brought protective gear with me when I got the job (laughs)."

-Why did you want to resume kendo?

Tanamachi : "It's simply because I love kendo. When you practice kendo, you make more and more friends. That aspect of sharing knowledge and love through kendo is also what makes it so appealing. All of our part-time workers are students from the kendo club. It would normally cost money to post job openings, but Kenei has really helped us out. "

*Emori, a part-time worker at Kwansei Gakuin University's Kendo Club

I had decided to become a sushi chef since I was in junior high school.

-You went to Kurume Commercial High School in Fukuoka Prefecture, right?

Tanamachi : "Thankfully, I received offers for kendo scholarships from other high schools, but I had already decided to become a sushi chef. I wanted to go to a commerce-based high school and learn business."

-You've achieved your dream by opening a store in a prime location in Osaka. Why were you able to decide on your career path at an early stage?

Tanamachi : "My uncle was a sushi chef. He passed away in his 20s, just as he was about to go out on his own. My mother often told me this story, so even though I was still young, I decided that I wanted to become a sushi chef myself ."

-So that's how it happened... So rather than wanting to be a chef, you wanted to be a sushi chef?

Tanamachi : "I wanted to be a sushi chef. Thanks to you, I'm happy I was able to make my dream come true."

The appeal of kendo

Tanamachi : "I think the greatest appeal of kendo is that it allows you to connect with people. It's generally said that training to become a sushi chef is tough, but compared to the training I did as a student, it didn't seem like a big deal (laughs) ."

-So you've developed patience! Have you made more connections with people?

Tanamachi : "The world of kendo is a strange thing. Just because you're older than me, I can be called 'senpai'. I'm not from Osaka, but since I started kendo here, I've made many new friends in Osaka."

-It's been about two weeks since you opened, how do you feel about it?

Tanamachi : "We're still in celebration mode, so we've had a lot of customers come to the store. People who do kendo and people who used to do kendo come to the store, so I feel like kendo has really helped me."

-I've worked in the restaurant industry before, and I think it's really difficult to make a profit.

Tanamachi : "You can't continue in this job unless you love it. There are labor costs, rent, and purchasing costs. I sometimes sigh when I look at the expenses. Competition is fierce, so it's a very tough business. But the reason I've been able to continue in this job is simply because I love it. I've been able to continue for nearly 20 years because I truly love it. It's a luxury to be able to experience the joy of having customers say 'thank you' to me in person every day. "

*Sushi Tanamachi does not have a menu, but instead provides the freshest and most delicious ingredients every day.

-If you love something, you will become good at it. Finally, could you tell us about your future aspirations?

Tanamachi : "I've known the students who work part-time since they were little, so I want to watch them grow up.

I would also be happy if this becomes a place where more kendo enthusiasts can gather and people say, 'When I go to Tanamachi, I make more kendo acquaintances.' "

The words that particularly struck me were, "Compared to kakeri training, there is nothing about my job that I find difficult." I think that's a statement that any working adult would agree with. We at BUSHIZO are also able to work hard and have fun because we have made our beloved kendo our job, so I empathized with Tanamachi's love for his job as a sushi chef!

Mr. Tanamachi is especially kind to those who practice kendo, so why not stop by? You might even bump into a top kendo player!

We wish Tanamachi-san, who is full of love for kendo, continued success in the future!

"Sushi Tanamachi"

Address: Kita Linden Building 301, 1-2-22 Sonezakishinchi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 2 minutes walk from Kitashinchi Station (11-41)

Phone number: 06-6342-5775

Business hours and holidays

Monday to Friday, days before holidays: 18:00 to 1:00 the next day
Sat: 18:00-22:00

Closed: Sundays and public holidays

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