Umami Mart cofounders Kayoko Akabori and Yoko Kumano behind the bar.
Cayce Clifford
Umami Mart, Oakland’s Japanese drinks specialty shop, began with a shared love of food between two friends from Cupertino. When Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori were starting their careers in their 20s—Kumano in Tokyo, Akabori in Brooklyn—they collaborated on a blog called Umami Mart where they wrote about their dining experiences. The year was 2007, and they were looking for a way to stay connected. They invited more friends to share food stories from around the world, and the project grew organically.
“It was just a funny, irreverent space,” says Akabori. “It became a community. We had probably 20 writers from around the world.”
A few years later, the friends moved back to the Bay Area. The blog was thriving, and they dreamed of turning their passion project into full-time jobs while keeping their site ad-free. They got a tip from one of their New York City writers that Japanese barware was trending among bartenders, so Kumano got her import license, and they began selling glasses, teapots, and kitchen tools on the site.
Fifteen months later, Akabori recalls, “Yoko was shipping the goods out of her apartment, and she was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore. There’s just bubble wrap everywhere.’” Serendipitously, Oakland launched Popuphood, an initiative offering businesses six months of free rent for retail space. Their application was accepted, then the duo were faced with a challenge: They had to fill a 1,000-square-foot storefront.
Anders Arhoj, one of Kumano’s friends and a Danish illustrator who wrote for the blog, helped build shelves and design the space, and Umami Mart’s minimal yet playful aesthetic was born. The store opened in 2012, and Japanese spirits were offered soon after. Kumano became the certified kikizakeshi (sake sommelier), and they launched a sake club, which now has about 200 members nationwide. A spirits license followed, allowing the pair to add Japanese whisky and shochu, a distilled spirit, to the mix. In 2019, they opened their current location with a cozy bar in the back.
Community events are central to Umami Mart: Shochu Tuesdays; sake and cheese pairings; and Nama Fest, their annual celebration of unpasteurized sake every April.
Their new book, Everyday Sake, covers everything from the history of sake and flavor profiles to food pairings and common myths (warm sake isn’t “bad”), all in a refined kawaii style. The book is an extension of the shop, where education abounds. “Most people come in looking for a bottle of sake because they’re going to have sushi for dinner,” says Akabori. “It’s eye-opening to hear that sake can go with anything.”
From a blog to a book, Umami Mart’s story traces back to two pals keeping in touch. “It’s just all of this connection from friendship,” says Akabori. “It’s lucky to work with my best friend.” umamimart.com.