KAN KAN KAN: Fire, Flavor, and the Heart of Omi Beef

Today we’re sitting down with KAN KAN KAN, where “meat meets fire,” a restaurant in Omihachiman that has dedicated itself to showcasing the depth and character of Omi beef, Japan’s oldest wagyu. With views across the Shiga countryside to the Hira mountains, this restaurant is a place where history, tradition, and flavor meet. From wood-fired grills to comforting sukiyaki rice bowls, their menu showcases a blend of tradition and creativity, always rooted in Shiga’s rich culinary heritage. Beyond the restaurant, their butcher shop and deli bring these flavors into everyday life. In this interview, we learn how KAN KAN KAN honors the past while shaping the future of wagyu dining in Japan.

Join us in this exclusive interview to learn more about this unique and luxurious eatery.

Could you please introduce yourself and KAN KAN KAN?

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Toshinari Morishima(森嶋利成), a member of the founding family of KANKANKAN(寛閑観). My role is to focus on public relations- specifically, thinking about how we can build and nurture meaningful relationships with the local community as we conduct our business. I mainly work on developing our mission and core concept, respecting our company’s history while shaping a new vision for the future. I also write and edit content for the website and brochures based on this vision.

KANKANKAN is a restaurant and butcher shop specializing in Omi beef, operated by Morishima Co., Ltd. in Omihachiman City of Shiga Prefecture. We also operate a restaurant on the second floor of ‘COCOSHIGA’, Shiga Prefecture’s antenna shop located in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. By the way, Omi is an old name for what is now Shiga Prefecture.

Many visitors know Kobe beef, but may not be so familiar with Omi beef. How do you introduce it to guests trying it for the first time?

Globally speaking, Kobe beef is arguably the most famous type of Wagyu – and rightfully so. However, within Japan, it is also true that Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef from Mie Prefecture, and Omi beef from Shiga Prefecture have long been regarded as the country’s top three wagyu brands. The reason, of course, is that these three wagyu brands are renowned for their exceptional and similar flavor. One of the secrets behind their melt-in-your-mouth taste – created by the fine, delicate marbling – lies in a shared tradition: historically, all three brands purchased calves from the Tajima region and raised them in their respective areas as a means of cultivating fields before the era of tractors.

The restaurant has such a rich history. Could you briefly share how your story connects back to the original Omi merchants?

Thank you for your interest in our history. As you have rightly noted, we are indeed aware that our history is inherently connected to that of the Omi merchants. I will explain that point as briefly as possible, in connection with our own unique history.

About 150 years ago, Japan had long maintained a policy of national isolation, avoiding contact with foreign countries. This refers to what is known as the Edo period (1603-1868). It was also worth noting that during the Edo period, meat consumption was strictly prohibited based on Buddhist principles. During that very period, merchants from present-day Shiga Prefecture, known as Omi merchants, left their hometowns to engage in trade across other regions, most notably in the Kanto area. Despite the lack of modern transportation, they traveled on foot, carrying their goods on shoulder poles, repeatedly walking back and forth along the Tokaido (東海道) route between Edo (now Tokyo) and Omi, where they built thriving businesses. To this day, numerous companies in Tokyo, originally established by Omi merchants, continue to flourish.

Due to pressure from Western countries, particularly those in Europe and America, Japan decided to open its doors to the world. This also brought with it an influx of countless new Western ideas and cultural artifacts. Steam locomotive, gas lamps, brick buildings, and today’s main subject – meat-eating culture – are all part of that influx.

In his youth, Kyuji Takenaka (竹中久次), the second son and one of my ancestors, trained as a rice merchant in the Kanto region as part of an apprenticeship. Making early use of the information network of the Omi merchants, he learned about the meat-eating culture of foreign residents in the port town of Yokohama. With remarkable foresight, he boldly realized that the cattle of Omi, which had been used primarily as draught oxen for farming, could potentially be sold to meet the demand of the foreign residents. Over the course of about two weeks, Kyuji and his younger brother Tomezo Morishima (森嶋留蔵) repeatedly traveled back and forth along the Tokaido – the same route once used by his Omi merchant predecessors – leading cattle by hand. As he did so, meat-eating culture began to spread among the Japanese as well, in the form of Gyunabe (beet hot pot), the precursor of Sukiyaki. Finally, in 1879, Kyuji opened a Gyunabe restaurant called ‘Yonekyu’ (米久) in Asakusabashi, Tokyo.

Due to space limitations, we will omit the subsequent popularity of Yonekyu, its reorganization as the members-only restaurant ‘Shuntairyo’ (春岱寮), and the monthly members’ magazine KANKANKAN (寛閑観) that was published there before the war, which I was very fortunate to come across by chance and acquire for myself from an antiquarian bookstore about ten years ago.

However, I would like to emphasize this one point regarding the founder as an Omi merchant. One of the secrets to the success of the Omi merchants – and a business philosophy that has been gaining increasing attention even in modern times – is the concept of “Sanpo-Yoshi (三方よし)”: “good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society.” This reflects a highly ethical and altruistic business morality, which holds that commerce should not be merely a selfish pursuit of profit between the seller and the buyer, but must also take into account the well-being of the local community and contribute to its prosperity. In fact, many of them did not hesitate to make donations – both in their home regions and in other provinces – for the repair of temples, shrines, and bridges. My own ancestors also carried out various charitable works in their hometown of Omi, one of which is still in use today as a community center.

Could you give us a short introduction to your menus before we dive into the specifics?

Tradition and innovation – these two elements capture the essence of what defines the menu we offer each day. As for the former, we have naturally sukiyaki – our signature dish since the founding of our establishment. Originally introduced to the Japanese as a Western-style dish, it was once seen as a clear expression of modernity. Of course, we create a truly original sukiyaki by incorporating local specialties unique to this region of Omihachiman, such as red konnyaku (赤こんにゃく) and choji-fu (丁字麩).

As for the latter, we recommend our set meals featuring Omi beef, prepared in a variety of styles. Specifically, the main dish is grilled by the customer at the table, and it is served alongside items such as beef stew, raw beef sushi, and sashimi, as well as sweetly simmered shigureni.

Having worked with Omi beef for many years, our chefs are deeply familiar with its characteristics. Rather than masking the natural flavor with sauces, they strive daily to develop cooking methods that bring out the rich, inherent taste of the Omi beef itself.

As a steak enthusiast, I’m keen to learn about the various cuts of Omi beef available at your restaurant. Could you describe them and recommend the best ways to savor each?

As a fellow steak lover, I highly recommend our ‘Ishiyaki (石焼)’ menu, where guests grill their own meat on custom-made lava stones. Among the options, the sirloin steak is especially recommended for this cooking style. The reason is very simple: these custom-made stones naturally melt away and remove excess fat from the beef as it cooks, and thanks to the far-infrared effect, they cook the meat thoroughly without burning the surface. It’s as if the stone itself is doing the cooking, rather than you.

On the other hand, we also hope you’ll enjoy the KANKANKAN Course, where our chef carefully grills your filet steak over a wood fire – the very symbol of our restaurant, KANKANKAN, and proudly featured in our logo. Once you try it, you’ll immediately be struck by the rich, savory aroma. The unique flavor and tenderness of the filet steak harmonize beautifully with the subtle smokiness of the wood fire, allowing you to enjoy Omi beef not just with your taste buds, but with all five senses.

Please tell us about the local sake and Shiga tea pairings you recommend with Omi beef.

Of course, with pleasure. As you may have already guessed, Shiga Prefecture is home to Lake Biwa, a large lake at its center. To the east of the lake lies the Koto Plain, a region with a long history of producing high-quality Omi beef. This is largely thanks to the abundant water resources flowing from the Suzuka Mountain Range, which borders Mie Prefecture. Naturally, the area is also ideal for cultivating premium sake rice, a key ingredient in making fine sake. One highly recommended sake from this region is Matsunotshukasa (松の司), known for its exceptionally clear and refined flavor, a result of years of craftsmanship in the Koto Plain.

It’s a curious thing – when asked about the best pairing for Omi beef, the first thing that comes to mind is naturally a sake brewed in the same region. And what’s even more intriguing is how remarkably similar their flavors are. Both have a clean, refined taste that isn’t overpowering, yet upon closer reflection, there’s a surprising depth and complexity to them… almost as if the gentle, tranquil landscape of Omi itself is unfolding before your eyes.

Omi beef, Omi rice, and Omi tea – all are highly regarded across Japan. When it comes to Omi tea, there are many wonderful varieties we could recommend, such as Tsuchiyama tea (土山茶) or Mandokoro tea (政所茶), famous for its extremely long history. However, we will simply say this: after enjoying Omi beef as your main dish, we sincerely invite you to finish your meal with a cup of Omi tea. Why? Because the tea gently melts away lingering fat from the meat almost instantly, leaving your palate refreshed. What remains is a subtle, clean taste – the very essence of Omi – that gracefully lingers on your tongue.

What role does seasonality play in how you design your menus?

Thank you for all the insightful questions about the restaurant. It is well known that the culture of Japanese cuisine, particularly Kaiseki (懐石), which has developed mainly in Kyoto and Tokyo, is a remarkable form of art that incorporates the beauty of Japan’s four seasons. In contrast, the culture of meat as food has a relatively short history of about 150 years, beginning with the modernization of Japan in the Meiji era. Accordingly, the main dishes at our restaurant, which are naturally centered around beef, may incorporate the elements of the four seasons less prominently than Kaiseki and other traditional Japanese cuisines.

That is not to say, however, that the seasons are absent. Every autumn, we serve freshly harvested Omi rice, rich and elegant in flavor, to capture the essence of the year’s bounty. In spring, we offer a beautifully delicate Omi tea, full of the clarity and refinement characteristic of the region, in celebration of being able to once again welcome this season. In that sense, it might be comparable to Beaujolais Nouveau in France.

What’s the atmosphere you hope guests feel when dining at KAN KAN KAN, especially with the views of the countryside and the mountains?

At the heart of what we do is a desire for our guests to enjoy Omi beef in its purest, most natural form. That is why we invite you to begin by letting go of your daily routines and fixed ideas. Take a deep breath of the countryside air that stretches out before you, relax your shoulders, and simply focus on experiencing the ‘terroir’ embodied in each piece of Omi beef. You may find that the flavors begin to resonate mysteriously with the surrounding landscape, deepening and expanding in unexpected ways. Through this experience, you may come to sense that we, as human beings, are sustained by countless other lives within nature.

As you may know, we Japanese customarily put our hands together and say ‘Itadakimasu’ with gratitude before every meal. Itadakimasu means, in this context, ‘I humbly receive’.

If a first-time visitor to Shiga had only one meal at the restaurant, what would you recommend they order?

Ideally, we would love for you to try everything on the menu and enjoy the subtle differences in flavor that come from the various cooking methods. However, since that may not be realistic, we would especially recommend the Ishiyaki (hot stone grill) as the best way to experience the natural flavor of Omi beef – its gentle sweetness, rich aroma, and satisfying yet never heavy taste – in the most direct and unadorned way. Gathering around the hot stone creates a warm, home-like atmosphere, and it also allows you to grill each piece to your preferred doneness and enjoy it at your own pace, while it’s still sizzling hot.

Finally, what do you personally hope guests take away, not just from the food, but from the experience of dining with you?

Although I didn’t have many opportunities to speak on it today, I want to emphasize that what defines us is each and every one of our team members. And we, as individuals, may not always be able to offer the kind of highly refined, top-tier service you might find in cities like Osaka or Tokyo. However, what we can say with confidence is that we serve our guests with sincerity and wholehearted effort, aiming to create an unforgettable experience centered around Omi beef – one that is comfortable, meaningful, and truly unique to this place.

If I may be so bold, perhaps this could be called an ‘aesthetics of simplicity.’ In that sense, there may be something quietly warm, something simple and genuine that emanates from here, and that may be difficult to find in urban settings.

I’ll refrain from saying more, as I wouldn’t want to limit what you might feel for yourself. But we do sincerely invite you to make the journey out to this region and experience a once-in-a-lifetime moment – an encounter that cannot be imitated, only lived.

Thank you very much for all your thoughtful questions. They gave us a valuable opportunity to reflect on who we are, especially from an outside perspective. We are truly grateful.

Thank you, Morishima san, for joining us and for sharing insights about the restaurant. KAN KAN KAN is more than a place to eat; it’s a doorway into Shiga’s heritage, where history, tradition, and flavor all meet by the warmth of the fire. Next time you find yourself in Shiga, we hope you’ll pause, savor Omi wagyu, and share in the joy of dining together.

Read more about KAN KAN KAN on:

Website: https://www.kan-kan-kan.com/english

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_kankankan/

Featured Photo Credit: ©寛閑観

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