The news of his passing was announced on Tsukiji’s social media pages, where the restaurant expressed “their heartfelt gratitude for his contributions, creativity, and the warmth he shared with everyone around him.”
An early passion for seafood
Chef Oka, as he is fondly called, was born in Tokyo, Japan. He displayed an early interest in — and later, a passion for — all things seafood, which eventually led him to work at the Tsukiji Fish Market at the age of 19.
It was there, amidst the hustle and bustle of what the Financial Times dubbed as “the Louvre of the oceans, a food lover's paradise,” that Okajima began his journey, souring the freshest ingredients for a sushi shop.
The art of sushi and soba
“In Japan, in your first three years, you are allowed to do preparation only but no sushi,” Chef Oka told food writer Margaux Salcedo in 2014. “After five years, only then are you allowed to make sushi.”
A master at making sushi, a product of decades of practice and constant improvement, Chef Oka said the journey begins by going to the market and picking out the fish yourself, advising people “to make friends with the vendors so they give you the best parts.”
“For hamachi, look for clean eyes,” he shared. For tuna,” he stressed the importance of color.”
Chef Oka was also adept at soba-making, crafting each batch entirely from scratch. In another piece by Salcedo, this time from 2007, it was revealed that he used only buckwheat flour imported from Japan, kneading the dough himself before subjecting it to a machine for cutting — “for efficiency and ease.”
Making Manila — and Tsukiji — his home
“Chef Oka met Mr. Katayama, our original partner at Tsukiji in his late 30s,” recalls Malu Gamboa-Lindo, general manager of Milky Way and whose parents, Julie and Nards, founded the Japanese dining outlet in 1989. “He expressed his interest to move to Manila and join the restaurant. He has been with us for 25 years.”
A constant presence in their lives, “he was always present, never absent,” Gamboa-Lindo says.
And what a welcoming presence he was—“with a warm smile, chocolates, and thoughtful greetings.”
“Oka had a unique ability to make everyone feel special,” says Gamboa-Lindo. “He witnessed the milestones of our guests—from the births of their children to their graduations; marriages and new families—through their regular visits to Tsukiji.”
His amiable personality was also felt beyond the walls of Tsukiji, which, Chef Oka once said, “attempts to transport the diner to Tokyo, Japan as soon as they enter our sliding doors.”
“We will miss you Chef Okajima San,” writes Sirc Duarte in a Facebook post. “My dearest friend, you will be gone but never forgotten.”
Features Reporter
