峠の釜めし birth story | 峠の釜めし main store 荻野屋

"Touge no kamameshi"

”Touge no kamameshi” birth story

From the desire to see our customers smile

Founded by Senkichi Takamizawa with the opening of Yokokawa Station on the Shin-Etsu Main Line in 1885, OGINOYA sold a variety of products, including boxed lunches and confectionery, to passengers at the station.

However, times changed drastically due to two major world wars, and Yokokawa Station, a station located between two large postwar reconstruction stations, Takasaki Station and Karuizawa Station, saw fewer and fewer passengers, and OGINOYA's business situation was not good at all.

Listening to Customers

After the sudden death of Kazushige Takamizawa at a young age, his wife, Mineji Takamizawa, became the fourth president in 1953. In order to break out of the status quo, she decided to develop "ekiben with special characteristics that would truly please customers. She had always loved to see people's happy faces, and she believed that if she could make a boxed lunch that would please customers, it would surely sell.

She personally stand on the station platform every day and ask each passenger, "What kind of bento do you like?" She asked around. As a result, she came to the conclusion that our customers wanted "warm, homey, and pleasant-looking bento boxes.

Breaking with Common Sense
Shaping "Warm Bento Lunchboxes

At a time when cold makunouchi boxed lunches were the norm, it took no ordinary effort to develop a new ekiben. However, Mineji never gave up, and as a result of countless trial and error attempts, the "Touge no Kamamaeshi" was born in 1957, overturning the common practice of ekiben at the time.

A desire that continues to be passed down from generation to generation

However, through review and media coverage, sales gradually began to increase, and the company was given the great honor of presenting the product to the Emperor Showa, which eventually led to nationwide recognition of the product.

Currently, we are expanding our sales channels to include Yokogawa Station, Karuizawa Station, Tokyo Station, and drive-ins and service areas in Gunma and Nagano prefectures, but the passion that Mineji Takamizawa put into "Touge no Kamameshi" has been passed down through the generations.