Okonomiyaki Sukiyanen

Since Uchida's divorce at the age of 23, she has worked day and night supporting her two children. As her eldest went into elementary school, she thought "I have to be with my children in the evening" but at the time didn't have any specialised skills to rely on.

When she thought about what she could currently do, okonomiyaki is what came to mind. This led to Uchida deciding to open Okonomiyaki Sukiyanen, as she had finely honed her okonomiyaki making skills under the watchful eye of her father, who was very particular about taste.

Uchida began her apprenticeship through the introduction of an acquaintance, but at first she wasn't directly taught anything. Infact, she did nothing but chop up cabbage everyday. At the time this seemed overly harsh, but Uchida realised firsthand the importance of resolve when it comes to making okonomiyaki well. She needed determination.

Through the endless trial runs leading up to the opening of her own restaurant, Uchida struggled to decide on the flavor of her okonomiyaki.

She envisioned odd nightmares almost every evening. Dreams where it was raining sauce, or where the ceiling turned into okonomiyaki and came crashing down on her were some examples she gave.

That'd when an associate helping her setup the store gave some important advice: "Stop listening to just what others say. If you think it tastes good, then press forward."

If you listen only to the opinions of others, you lose sight of what you may feel is the right answer. From here, Uchida resolved to find her own signature flavor as she went.

Uchida's okonomiyaki has a light and fluffy texture that never gets hard or tough. It has depth of flavor, so it's still delicious even when it's cold.

All the vegetables used in the restaurant are sourced from a greengrocer called Veggie Innovation. The grocer is extremely particular about the vegetables they source, meaning that Uchida always has top-quality ingredients to work with. She uses Matsunami cabbage from Osaka's Senshu region, which is known for its natural sweetness and tender leaves, whenever it is in season.

Uchida's restaurant meticulously wipes away the moisture from each cabbage leaf, one by one. While it is a tedious task, it's thanks to this crucial step that their okonomiyaki becomes as fluffy as it does.

The real key lies in how finely the cabbage can be shredded from the very beginning. And what is the most important thing for achieving that level of fineness?

Simply, an incredibly sharp kitchen knife.

The okonomiyaki batter has a floury texture right after mixing, so Uchida rests it in the refrigerator for a minimum of eight hours. After this, she mixes the batter to incoprorate air, giving it that light, fluffy sensation.

When there is a committment to quality and great flavor, inevitably it will take more labor hours and time. Uchida mentions she has been approached about expanding her restaurant and business, but she turns down the offers because it would come at a compromise to her standards, which she cares greatly about.

While it is more laborious, Uchida wants people to enjoy the kind of okonomiyaki that she herself finds delicious. Her own signature flavor.

At the same time, how can we make delicious okonomiyaki at home?

According to Uchida, at home, people often mix a large batch of batter all at once in a large bowl. As convenient as that is, it can cause the moisture in the cabbage to seep out, making the entire mixture watery. While she admits it is a hassle, Uchida strongly recommends to try mixing the cabbage, batter, and egg together for a single serve at a time.

Even this small, simple change can yield great results.

While Uchida was in the planning stage of opening her okonomiyaki restaurant, naturally she conducted research by visiting other restaurants. An associate that accompanied her on this journey told her: "You absolutely must use a good kitchen knife," and recommended her to Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide as a result.

She bought a gyuto to start off with, and she's been using it faithfully ever since.

Uchida likes using larger kitchen knives, around 300mm in length.

If a kitchen knife has enough weight to it, it will fall more naturally when you cut with it. Uchida simply guides where the knife falls with her hand, and this makes the work a lot easier for her.

These knives get smaller over time as they are sharpened, but because they were originally so large they still have uses. A smaller knife will get relegated to other tasks, like dicing onions or cutting up carrots.

These days, Uchida owns around 8 Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide knives. But even with a collection this large, she feels that there is one that truly matches her and what she wants to do.

This is her SWORD-FV10 300mm Gyuto, the knife she naturally reaches to time and time again.

Uchida changes the knife she uses for cabbage work approximately once a week. As a result, she tends to send about five knives back to Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide for sharpening every month.

As a vast majority of her work is processing cabbage, if she continues to cut up cabbage with a knife that has dulled, Uchida says it causes strain on her wrist as well as pain.

Previously, Uchida used to sharpen her knives by herself, but she found the process exhausting and time-consuming. On top of this, she couldn't quite get a kireaji she was truly satisfied with.

She states that sharpening done at Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide is a whole different league (and remember, our knives come with a free sharpening ticket!)

Because of this superior sharpening experience, as well as the time it frees up for Uchida, she sees sending knives out for professional sharpening as a true and necessary "investment" into her business.

Back in 2022, Uchida broke her wrist. In truth, at this point she considered quitting and hanging up the apron.

She couldn't hold a knife, or slice cabbage at all. The thought "Maybe this is the the time to call it" seriously went through her mind.

Just as she had closed the restaurant to focus on her rehabilitation, a reservation came in for November 17th, all the way from the Kanto region.

That date had a special meaning, as it was anniversary of her late mother's passing. Perhaps this was a sign to give things one more shot? Uchida certainly thought as much.

Reaching out to the customer, Uchida explained her situation and made a promise.

I will absolutely be back by November 17th.

With renewed determination, Uchida threw herself into rehabilitation as much as possible. She had to make that deadline, and was able to return to the shop.

For a while after this, she would wince in pain when slicing cabbage. Even cry sometimes. But now, she's able to finally use her wrist normally once more.

As of 2026, Uchida has run her restaurant for 38 years. She reflects that it has been a journey with so many ups and downs along the way. Simply put... All sorts of things have happened!

Anxiety has played a part of this journey. Can someone raise a child while running an okonomiyaki restaurant? Will staff wages be paid? Questions like this troubled Uchida.

At the same time, she comments that her part-time staff have always been a great help, but first and foremost that she is blessed with wonderful customers.

As this journey continues, Uchida can finally say she is enjoying every day. As long as her health holds out, she'll do her best.

Our Japanese YouTube team has filmed a mini video documentary on Uchida and Okonomiyaki Sukiyanen. Enjoy the video below.

Please note it only officially has Japanese audio and subtitles, but automatic translations are available. Nuance and meaning may be lost though, so please refer back to the original Japanese as fact over any translations.

Chef Uchida has used our knives for a long time, and some in particular for many years! But there's one she always goes back to...