Akihabara is lined with tall buildings such as apartment complexes and office buildings. In a corner of this imposing yet somewhat chilly street, you'll find Ome Farm Kitchen, a shop with a warm atmosphere.

"Ome Farm Kichen" is a restaurant directly managed by "Ome Farm", an organic farmer in Ome City, Tokyo. You can enjoy dishes made with organic vegetables born and raised in Tokyo. We spoke to the owner, Futoshi Ota, about his commitment to growing organic vegetables in Tokyo and the background to the establishment of the restaurant.

In search of delicious vegetables, we discovered the "seed to table" style

The shop is located on the first floor of an apartment building. The woody atmosphere is soothing.

The reason why the company's representative, Mr. Ota, started Ome Farm was because he realized the importance of food quality after the birth of his daughter. He also had a simple reason for wanting to eat delicious vegetables in Japan. Having spent most of his 20s abroad, Mr. Ota felt something was off when he returned to Japan and noticed that the vegetables he ate in Japan were not tasty.

If you want to eat delicious vegetables in Japan, you should grow them yourself. With this in mind, Ota-san visits some of Japan's leading farms in search of ways to grow delicious vegetables. After much searching, he arrives at the conclusion that "delicious vegetables don't need pesticides, but good soil, water, and seeds are important." That's why Ome Farm grows vegetables using organic farming methods that don't use pesticides.

When delivering vegetables, the most important thing to us is the "from seed to table" approach, which is also the concept of Ome Farm Kitchen.

"Cooking begins when the farmer sows the seeds. That's why I tell the staff at Ome Farm to think about what kind of dish the vegetables will ultimately become when they sow the seeds. If they don't cook with that in mind, the vegetables won't taste delicious."

Ome Farm has an extremely high reputation among its fellow farmers, and some people even come from overseas to visit after hearing about it. Ome Farm's vegetables have fascinated many people both from within Japan and overseas.

The menu changes depending on the vegetables harvested in the fields.

Messages and souvenirs from overseas guests. It is clear that Ome Farm's vegetables are loved both in Japan and overseas.

The menu at Ome Farm Kitchen changes depending on the vegetables harvested at the farm. The staff checks the farm conditions every day and decides the vegetables to use in the dishes in consultation with the chefs. Therefore, even if the menu is the same, you may encounter vegetables or combinations that can only be tasted on that day.

Customers are often impressed, saying, "I never knew vegetables could be this delicious!" Some customers even offer to donate to Ome Farm's efforts, and some regulars from overseas contact them saying, "I can finally come to the store!" once the COVID situation calms down. Ome Farm Kitchen caters to vegans, so another big attraction is that you can eat here without being bound by national or food beliefs.

"The message we want to convey is not limited to Japan, so I'm happy that so many people have said that our food is delicious," says Ota with a smile. He adds that he wants people to use Ome Farm Kitchen as a place to discover truly delicious vegetables.

"I think the appeal of Ome Farm Kitchen is that you can experience truly delicious vegetables in the city. Even if you go to the countryside, you can't always find delicious vegetables. But here, you're sure to find delicious vegetables. So, if your stomach is tired of extreme seasonings, I recommend you visit."

Delivering the joy of food through original ideas

In fact, before Ome Farm Kitchen moved in, this place was a healing spot focusing on fortune telling.
It's so cozy that it's hard to imagine it's not a restaurant.

Ome Farm Kitchen was originally located in Asakusabashi, but moved to its current location in the Kanda area in 2022. The store was renovated and reopened in a space that was not previously a restaurant.

Opening an organic vegetable store in the Kanda area seems like a bit of an unexpected choice. The chef said he wanted to open a store in a downtown area, but the underlying reason was influenced by Ota's policy.

"Rei Kawakubo, a designer whom I respect, once said, 'If out of 100 people, 50 of them understand me, then I feel outdated.' I think that attitude is very cool. Doing things that the majority of people don't understand is what makes it cool and interesting. I believe that, so I don't want to do anything ordinary."

Practicing organic farming in Tokyo. Opening an organic shop in a downtown area. Making choices that may seem impossible from the outside possible with overwhelming force. Ome Farm Kitchen's unique appeal comes from its stance of constantly turning free ideas into reality.

"We run a farm and a restaurant because we want to eat delicious food," says Ota-san with a smile. He wants to eat delicious food and share it with the people around him. With this simple wish in mind, Ome Farm Kitchen continues to connect seeds to tables and bring the joy of food to many people.

Ome Farm Kitchen
Address: 101 Palais d'Or Kanda, 2-8-19 Sudacho, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Access: 7 minutes walk from Akihabara Station
HP: https://www.omefarm.jp/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/omefarmkitchen/?hl=ja
*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.