The challenger is a head chef in Kyoto. He has mastered the style of Ikama-school of culinary arts. To separate his restaurant from the other more traditional restaurants in the area, he began creating new dishes with local ingredients. He is among the top young chefs in Kyoto. He faces the returning Iron Chef Japanese, back after two months of recuperation, so Chairman Kaga chooses umeboshi (pickled plums), an ingredient associated with keeping good health.
Judges: Shinichiro Kurimoto (Politician), Mayuko Takata (Actress), Asako Kishi (Critic)
