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Sakai Diner – Umami Essential Collection

📅Launching on Kickstarter · 5 January 2027

Japanese seasonings, made easy for the food you already cook

The Umami Essential Collection launches on Kickstarter on 5 January 2027: ten Japanese seasonings in four sets, plus a recipe book of 48 American favorites, from tacos and burgers to mac and cheese, each one made better with a seasoning from your box.

10Japanese seasonings 4Sets 48Recipes
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Sound familiar?

You bought the miso.
Now what?

Japanese seasonings look exciting in the store. Then they sit in the fridge, because nobody tells you what to cook with them.

We started the other way around. You don’t need to learn Japanese cooking. You need one good bottle and a dish you already love: tacos, burgers, Caesar salad, mac and cheese.

Your pasta still tastes like pasta. Your BBQ still feels like BBQ. Your tacos stay yours. They just get more interesting.

See the recipes ↓
One dish. Different possibilities.

Tap a dish you already make

Six of the 48 recipes in the book. Each one adds a single Japanese seasoning to a dish you know.

Recipe 43

Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta

Umami Miso Paste Set

What the seasoning adds

Deep aged miso gives the cream sauce a rich, almost meaty depth that makes the mushrooms taste stronger.

How it’s used

A spoonful of deep aged miso is stirred into the cream sauce with browned mushrooms.

4 sets · 10 seasonings · 12 recipes each

Meet the four sets

Each set does one job in your cooking. Pick one to see what’s inside, how it tastes and the 12 recipes that use it.

Not sure? Start with what your dish needs

Use it forSoups, broth, ramen, risotto, rice, chowder, burgers

Foundation · builds flavor from the base

Nature Set

Dried shiitake and kombu are the two pillars of Japanese savory flavor. Drying concentrates their taste, and gentle soaking releases it into water you can cook with. Used together, they’re far stronger than either one alone.

Shiitake mushroom

Dried shiitake

Dried to concentrate flavor far beyond fresh mushrooms, with a meaty, chewy bite once soaked.

Deep, earthy, meaty, gently smoky

Kelp

Dried kombu

The base of Japanese dashi (stock). It releases natural glutamates, the same savory compounds in parmesan and ripe tomatoes.

Clean, gently salty, subtle ocean depth, not fishy

Try thisSoak 4 shiitake and a 4-inch piece of kombu in 4 cups of cold water overnight. You get a fully plant-based stock that tastes like a long-simmered meat broth.

Recipes include
Shiitake Umami Smash BurgerKombu Clam ChowderShiitake “Carnitas” Tacos
See all 12 recipes
  1. 01Shiitake “Carnitas” Tacos
  2. 02Shiitake Fried Rice
  3. 03Shiitake Umami Smash Burger
  4. 04Shiitake, Kale and Farro Harvest Bowl
  5. 05Shiitake and Meyer Lemon Risotto
  6. 06Kombu-Cured Halibut Crudo with Citrus
  7. 07Kombu Cioppino
  8. 08Kombu Clam Chowder
  9. 09Kombu Black Bean Chili Bowl
  10. 10Grilled Corn with Kombu Lime Butter
  11. 11Plant-Based Shiitake–Kombu Ramen
  12. 12Golden Umami Tortilla Soup

Use it forSteak, tacos, eggs, avocado toast, pizza, noodles, salads

Accent · changes the finish

Spices Set

Four Japanese ways to add heat and aroma. Each one is a finishing touch: a little at the end lifts a dish without hiding its flavor.

Japanese horseradish

Wasabi

Its heat rises through the nose instead of burning the tongue, then fades fast, leaving a fresh, green finish.

Sharp, clean, refreshing heat

Yuzu citrus & green chili

Yuzu kosho sauce

Yuzu peel, green chili and salt in an easy-pour sauce. Yuzu tastes like grapefruit, lemon and mandarin in one.

Bright citrus, fresh green heat

Seven-spice blend

Shichimi togarashi

Seven spices built around red chili, usually with sansho pepper, citrus peel, sesame, seaweed and ginger.

Warm, fragrant, mildly hot

Japanese chili oil

Rayu

Chili-infused sesame oil. Gentler and more aromatic than many chili oils, with a toasted, nutty warmth.

Toasty sesame, soft building heat

Try thisSwap your chili flakes for shichimi on avocado toast. Heat, citrus and toasted sesame in one sprinkle, in 10 minutes.

Recipes include
Wasabi Caesar with Sourdough CroutonsBaja Fish Tacos with Yuzu Kosho CremaRayu Pepperoni Pizza with Hot Honey
See all 12 recipes
  1. 13Wasabi Guacamole
  2. 14Wasabi Caesar with Sourdough Croutons
  3. 15Ahi Poke Bowl with Wasabi Avocado Crema
  4. 16Grilled Ribeye Steak with Wasabi Butter
  5. 17Wasabi Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon
  6. 18Baja Fish Tacos with Yuzu Kosho Crema
  7. 19Yuzu Kosho Grilled Chicken Thighs
  8. 20Shrimp Aguachile with Yuzu Kosho
  9. 21Burrata with Stone Fruit and Yuzu Kosho Oil
  10. 22Yuzu Kosho Lemon Spaghetti with Asparagus
  11. 23Shichimi Avocado Toast
  12. 24Rayu Pepperoni Pizza with Hot Honey

Use it forBBQ, steak, salmon, noodles, roasted vegetables, salads

Depth · glaze, finish, dress

Wooden Brewed Soy Sauce Set

Two soy-based seasonings for glazing, finishing and dressing. The aged soy sauce builds depth while you cook. The sudachi ponzu brings brightness at the end.

Barrel-brewed soy sauce

Aged soy sauce

Brewed slowly in traditional wooden barrels. Long aging makes it rounder and mellower than everyday soy sauce, with less harsh saltiness.

Rich, caramel and toasted notes, long finish

Citrus soy sauce

Sudachi ponzu

Juice of sudachi, a small fragrant green citrus, blended with soy sauce. A ready-made dressing, dip or marinade.

Bright, tangy, lime-like

Try thisToss a tray of hot roasted vegetables in ponzu straight from the oven. Salt, citrus and depth in one step.

Recipes include
San Francisco–Style Garlic NoodlesAged Soy BBQ Baby Back RibsSeared Salmon Bowl with Sudachi Ponzu
See all 12 recipes
  1. 25Aged Soy–Honey Glazed Salmon
  2. 26Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Aged Soy Brown Butter
  3. 27Aged Soy Carne Asada
  4. 28San Francisco–Style Garlic Noodles
  5. 29Aged Soy BBQ Baby Back Ribs
  6. 30Soy-Marinated Eggs over Avocado Rice
  7. 31Seared Scallops with Grapefruit and Sudachi Ponzu
  8. 32Smashed Cucumber and Avocado Ponzu Salad
  9. 33Sheet-Pan Roasted Vegetables with Sudachi Ponzu
  10. 34Ponzu Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  11. 35Seared Salmon Bowl with Sudachi Ponzu
  12. 36Chilled Soba Salad with Summer Vegetables and Ponzu

Use it forPasta, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, roast chicken, stews, cookies

Richness · adds body

Umami Miso Paste Set

Miso is fermented soybean paste, one of Japan’s oldest seasonings. This set pairs a light, sweet miso with a dark, deeply aged one, so you choose the depth each dish needs, or blend them.

Mellow rice miso

Mild yellow rice miso

Soybeans and rice koji, aged for a shorter time. Light in color and the most versatile miso for everyday Western cooking.

Mellow, gently sweet, creamy

Dark soybean miso

Deep aged soybean miso

Mostly soybeans, aged for a long time. Dark and intense, and it stands up to long cooking far better than lighter miso.

Rich, slightly smoky, like dark chocolate or espresso

Try thisBlend both: the sweetness of the mild miso up front, the depth of the aged miso underneath. A spoonful in mac and cheese makes it taste cheesier without extra cheese.

Recipes include
Miso Mac and CheeseMiso Brown Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesAged Miso Bolognese
See all 12 recipes
  1. 37Miso Butter Roast Chicken
  2. 38Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes
  3. 39California Cobb with Miso Green Goddess
  4. 40Miso Mac and Cheese
  5. 41Miso Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  6. 42Aged Miso Braised Short Ribs
  7. 43Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
  8. 44Aged Miso BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
  9. 45Aged Miso French Onion Soup
  10. 46Aged Miso Bolognese
  11. 47Two-Miso Glazed Black Cod
  12. 48Two-Miso Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Herb Salsa
What you get

The seasonings, plus the book
that shows you how

10Japanese seasonings

Dried shiitake, kombu, wasabi, yuzu kosho, shichimi, rayu, aged soy sauce, sudachi ponzu and two misos.

4Sets

Foundation, Accent, Depth and Richness. Each set has one clear job.

48Recipes

12 per set, all dishes you already know: burgers, tacos, Caesar salad, BBQ ribs, cookies.

1Recipe book

All 48 recipes in one book, made only for Kickstarter backers.

Every recipe shows

  1. How the seasoning is used
  2. Why it works in this dish
  3. US and metric measures
  4. Prep time and a cook’s tip

Your first week: three easy dishes

Day 1 · 10 minutes

Shichimi Avocado Toast

Sprinkle and taste the difference.

Day 3 · 20 minutes

San Francisco–Style Garlic Noodles

Aged soy sauce is the backbone of the sauce.

Day 5 · weeknight side

Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes

Beat miso into the mash. Serve with any roast.

Choose how to start

Try one

1 set

Pick the set that fits your cooking, plus the recipe book.

Mix two

2 sets

Combine two, like Spices + Miso or Nature + Soy Sauce, plus the recipe book.

Complete

All 4 sets

All 10 seasonings, plus the recipe book.

Prices and early-bird offers will be announced on launch day.

Only for Kickstarter backers

What backers get

The seasonings for the sets you choose, plus the 48-recipe book that shows you how to use them. The book is made only for Kickstarter backers.

1 The seasonings

Your choice of sets

  • Nature SetDried shiitake · Dried kombu
  • Spices SetWasabi · Yuzu kosho sauce · Shichimi togarashi · Rayu
  • Wooden Brewed Soy Sauce SetAged soy sauce · Sudachi ponzu
  • Umami Miso Paste SetMild yellow rice miso · Deep aged soybean miso

Choose 1, 2 or all 4 sets.

2 The recipe book

Umami Essential Collection

Backers only
  • 48 recipes of American favorites, 12 for each set
  • A product guide for every seasoning: what it is, how it tastes, how to prepare and store it
  • A flavor map of all ten seasonings, from gentle to bold
  • A 7-day meal plan that uses every set

Available only through the Kickstarter campaign.

Notify me on launch

“What do I do with this now?”

Why we made this

We kept hearing that question from people outside Japan who had bought miso, soy sauce or wasabi and then got stuck.

Sakai Diner is the food brand of LEONIS Co., Ltd., based in Sakai, Osaka. We work with Japanese food makers and with customers discovering these ingredients abroad, and we wanted to connect the two.

Not by asking you to learn a new cuisine. By starting with the meals already on your table, and showing where Japanese seasonings fit.

Sakai, Osaka

A port city of makers

For centuries, Sakai’s merchants traded goods from across Japan and overseas. The city still makes some of Japan’s finest kitchen knives.

Wooden barrels

Brewed the slow way

Our aged soy sauce ferments in kioke, large cedar barrels used for decades. Only about 1% of Japanese soy sauce is still brewed this way.

1908

Where umami began

Umami was first identified in Japan, in kombu dashi, the stock at the heart of Japanese cooking.

Questions

Good to know

Does following on Kickstarter cost anything?

No. Following is free. Kickstarter sends you an email when the campaign goes live. If you then decide to back it, you’re only charged if the campaign reaches its funding goal.

Do I need to know Japanese cooking?

No. All 48 recipes are dishes you already know, like tacos, burgers, mac and cheese and BBQ ribs. Each one adds a single Japanese seasoning and explains how and why.

Are there vegetarian and vegan recipes?

Yes. Recipes are marked vegan or vegetarian in the book. The Nature Set alone includes a fully plant-based ramen, shiitake “carnitas” tacos and a grain bowl.

What is umami?

Umami is the savory taste found naturally in ingredients like miso, soy sauce, kombu and shiitake. It was first identified in Japan in 1908, and is now recognized as the fifth basic taste, alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Where do you ship, and when will rewards arrive?

Shipping countries and estimated delivery dates will be listed on the Kickstarter page at launch. All ten items are gathered and checked in Japan before shipping.

Be there on launch day.
5 January 2027.

Notify me on launch
Or get a few recipes by email first

No spam. Just recipes and the launch alert.

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