Heat Wave: Hot Sauce Bar Tokyo Bringing Artisan Flavors to Japan

Hot Sauce Curation

If you like a splash of heat on dishes, then Kimura Norifumi, founder of Japan’s first all-natural craft hot sauce curation brand, has you covered. Ensconced behind the counter of his cozy shop Hot Sauce Bar Tokyo in Harajuku, the cheery Kyoto native extols the qualities of his carefully selected lineup of domestic and overseas sauces. Kimura, surrounded by a host of colorful bottles beckoning enticingly to passersby, is on a mission to spread his love of hot sauce across Japan and beyond—one drop at a time.

Kimura’s journey into the world of artisanal hot sauce began from a chance encounter. Having moved to New York to study fashion, he was strolling around the city one day when a store caught his attention. “The shop had rows of bottles on display,” he recounts. “I ventured inside thinking they were craft beers, but it turned out to be a hot sauce shop.“ That serendipitous discovery opened his eyes to an entirely new culinary world. ”The clerk offered me different sauces, and the tastes blew me away.“

Kimura had stumbled onto the “third wave” of hot sauce—a movement he says began around 2010, following the long vinegar-forward era of Tabasco and similar brands and the extreme “death sauce” craze of the 1990s. “Around that time people started to realize that there’s more to hot sauce than just heat and sourness,” Kimura explains. “They started playing around with different spices and ingredients, tweaking their recipes to come up with original flavors.” Small-batch producers took advantage of the burgeoning online sales marked to hawk their wares to a wider audience, fueling a revolution in quality and creativity.

During tastings, Kimura is energetic as he explains the back story and flavor characteristics of Hot Shop Bar’s different offerings. (© Nippon.com)

Bringing the Third Wave to Japan

Returning to Japan, Kimura seized on the opportunity to introduce this craft culture to a country known more for umami and subtle flavors than fiery heat. His curation philosophy is exacting, extending far beyond flavor. “It’s important that a sauce has an interesting back story,” he notes, adding that he avoids artificial additives and seeks bottles with stylish designs that enhance the interior of a kitchen or dining room. “Only one in about every ten that I try is a keeper.” Hot Sauce Bar currently features around 60 varieties, focusing on Louisiana-style sauces, but Kimura plans to keep expanding.

The counter at Hot Sauce Bar Tokyo is a window into the world of “third wave” hot sauces. (© Nippon.com)

American and Canadian producers dominate the selection, but there is a growing number of domestic brands, like Japanese hot sauce pioneer Mellow Habanero, who incorporates local ingredients like yuzu and rice vinegar, and Scotch Bonnet Japan. Kimura is keen to point out surprising fusions possible with Japanese food, ranging from “B gourmet” staples like yakisoba and karaage to the more refined flavors of sushi and sashimi. Grabbing a white-and-green labeled bottle by Colorado producer Seed Ranch Flavor Company, he says that “funnily enough, this taco-flavored sauce has proved surprisingly popular as a seasoning for nattō.” The pairing was discovered by a producer of the sticky bean dish and a sushi chef, highlighting the limitless range of fusions possible.

Kimura views his role as cultural ambassador rather than mere retailer. “Much of my job is explaining our products to customers,” he says. “But when you recommend something to a person and they genuinely enjoy it, that’s what makes all the effort worthwhile.” His vision for the future extends beyond Tokyo and Japan to other areas around Asia.

For Kimura, the mission is deeply personal. “I started out with the hope of establishing hot sauce culture in Japan,” he reflects. Watching customers discover new flavors and share them with friends fuels his ambition. “I’m a people person. That’s why I do this. It’s my passion in life.”

Hot Sauce Bar Tokyo

• Address: 4-28-4 Ares Garden Omotesandō 1F, Jingūmae, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Hours: 10:30 am–7:00 pm (open everyday)
• Access: 8 minutes on foot from JR Harajuku Station and 7 minutes from Omotesandō Station on the Tokyo Metro
• Website: https://www.hotsauce-bar.com/

(Originally published in English. Banner photo: Hot Sauce Bar founder Kimura Norifumi. © Nippon.com.)