OhawLunch at Ainu Café Pirasare

Ainu Café Pirasare, run by the Ainu Association of Shiraoi, is on the first floor of the Community Center, across the road from the Shiraoi Town Hall.

I sat down for a chat with Tamie Takahashi, who works at Pirasare.

Tamie

Pirasare means to spread in the Ainu language.

Ohaw lunch

At Ainu Café Pirasare you can enjoy ohaw with side dishes for just \800!

Ohaw, a soup brimming with all kinds of ingredients, is an Ainu staple.

The side dishes change every time.

aina

I think the ohaw served here is the best in Shiraoi.

The salmon is just exquisite!

Tamie

All the salmon we use comes from the fishing port of Shiraoi. It’s processed by our staff in autumn and then vacuum packed and frozen in a commercial freezer for up to a year.

At Pirasare, they serve an authentic ohaw made with salmon straight from the waters of Shiraoi!

When the salmon is processed, it is seasoned by well-trained hands, giving it a sumptuous flavor.

Watch the video to find out how they prepare the salmon.

White rice is cooked together with sticky millet, which is a traditional part of the Ainu diet.

Along with the ohaw, their curry and udon are not to be missed.

Ento tea

Tamie

We serve bottomless tea, which is carefully brewed from ento(an herb sometimes called Vietnamese lemon mint). We hand pick and dry the plants ourselves.

Check out the video to see how the hand-picked ento tea is made.

This herbal tea with a unique aroma was traditionally used by Ainu people as a cough medicine or for its diuretic properties.

aina

You can even pick up some of Pirasare’s ento tea to enjoy at home! 

aina

Did you know this is the only place where ento tea can be enjoyed for free?!

The Pirasare team

Pirasare is run by four staff members who started the café three years ago and have been managing it together ever since.

Their aprons feature hand-sewn embroidery designed by Tamie, a member of an embroidery club called Cispo Club.

Tamie

I combined four motifs to represent the four staff members coming together.

Isn’t the heart cute?

I also added the diamond shape to represent the strength of the four of us working together. 

All four staff members chip in to create menus and procure ingredients.

Display of traditional Ainu craftwork

Tamie

We display traditional Ainu craftwork at Pirasare.

Craftwork from local clubs or embroidery classes in Shiraoi adorns the walls.

The Ainu café that feels like home

Unlike your average café, when customers arrive, they don’t call out the number of customers.

Tamie

Aina is here!

They call you by your name.

Not only do they remember the names and faces of their regular customers, they remember everything, like their usual order, if they like a large serving of rice, and what kinds of food they don’t like.

Located in front of the town hall, Pirasare is a favorite lunch spot for many town hall workers.

aina

With its deep connections to Shiraoi’s community and the way it shares Ainu culture, this warm and welcoming café is one of a kind.

Unique souvenirs!

Pirasare sells souvenirs that can’t be found anywhere else, like sweets and accessories with Ainu embroidery.

Each item is one of a kind, so you’ll be able to take home a unique treasure! 

They also sell sweets that make for great souvenirs.

Current measures against COVID-19