ABOUT

I was born in Nagoya City, Japan, and moved to Osaka when I was 21. Osaka is the home of okonomiyaki, and I learned how to cook Japanese comfort food from my mom.

In 2011 I moved to the US to play basketball in EBA league. After two seasons of semi-pro career, I had a knee injury. I started working at Aoi as a line cook, and then at Toki Underground in Washington DC because I wanted to eat ramen. The old Toki OGs (especially Erik) taught me how the restaurant business is. I started working in Maketto as a line cook, and at the same time we started UZU. UZU means 'vortex' in Japanese. We began at Honeycomb Grocer in Union Market, and I worked at Paperhorse Ramen in Pentagon City as a manager.

Each place gave me an idea of what I wanted to do next. I later started Conbini by UZU as a pop up in Shopkeepers Gallery. After our run at Shopkeepers came to an end, we opened Ramen by UZU inside of Union Market, where we have been ever since. Because of everybody’s help, I am here now. This is a new chapter of my life, where I will show people my version of Japanese comfort food that I grew up eating.

-Hiro, Founder