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Training period

Hamura was founded in 1981 (Showa 56). Its proprietor, Kunio Sekizawa, began his culinary journey at the age of nineteen, when he started working as an apprentice at the renowned Kamakura Hiromi. He spent fifteen years there honing his craft.

At that time, Kamakura was home to a constellation of distinguished cultural figures—among them Yasunari Kawabata, Hideo Kobayashi, Mitsuo Nakamura, Michiko Nagai, Ryuichi Yokoyama, and Yasujirō Ozu (honorifics omitted). Many were regular patrons, and Sekizawa recalls those years as an immensely enjoyable and formative period. He often reflects that the fifteen years spent at Kamakura Hiromi were truly invaluable.

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Becoming Independent

In 1981, at the age of thirty‑four, Sekizawa was given the opportunity to open his own restaurant, leading him to establish Hamura in Hayama. The first location was at 995‑3 Isshiki, Hayama‑machi, where he rented the first floor of a construction company building, about fifty meters behind what is now the Sōtetsu Rosen supermarket.

The name “Hamura” derives from Hayama‑mura, the former name of Hayama‑machi. Incidentally, Hayama‑machi adopted town status on January 1, 1925, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary on January 1, 2025.

The first year after opening was challenging, but thanks to loyal customers from his Kamakura days and the economic boom of the era, the business gradually found its footing.

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First Relocation: Kinugasa

Later, a long‑time customer informed him of a good vacant property in Kinugasa. In 1990 (Heisei 2), Hamura relocated to a new space near JR Kinugasa Station (Sugimoto Building 2F, Kinugasa‑Sakae‑chō 1, Yokosuka).

As Japan transitioned from the Showa to the Heisei era, Hamura too began a new chapter in Kinugasa. However, the collapse of the economic bubble soon followed, and Sekizawa faced difficulties in managing the restaurant.

Even so, he was blessed with loyal patrons and an exceptionally kind landlord, allowing him to enjoy fifteen fulfilling years there. During this period, he even taught karaoke at the landlord’s request, and—thanks to an editor of Shiki no Aji, a long‑time customer from his Kamakura days—he contributed to a series in which five chefs from different fields presented original dishes, as well as another column titled “A Tempura Chef’s Soliloquy.” These experiences proved invaluable in deepening his pursuit of tempura. As a result, many customers from afar visited after reading his writings.

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Second Relocation: Minami‑Hayama

Although his time in Kinugasa was rich and rewarding, the passing of his father prompted Sekizawa to return to the land where he was born and raised. He built a new restaurant on that site—Hamura’s current location—and reopened there in July 2005 (Heisei 17).

In 2012, Hamura became the first restaurant in the city to earn a Michelin star (one star).

Now, in its second home of Minami‑Hayama, Edomae Tempura Hamura marks its twenty‑first year, and this year celebrates the forty‑fifth anniversary of its founding.

Guided by unwavering conviction, Sekizawa has spent sixty years pursuing the ideal form of tempura. The culmination of that lifelong dedication is what Hamura offers today. We invite you to experience this ultimate tempura for yourself.