Tokyo Tsure Zure Gusa

Otokomae brand tofu is singlehandedly revolutionizing Japanese tofu. Founded with the goal of making tofu that tastes better than cake, they have exploded onto the scene with a 70’s pop/funk ad campaign in addition to their already flashy name. Otokomae means handsome or cool, not what people expect as the name for something as simple and traditional as tofu. Shingo Ito, the founder, has stated that his marketing strategy has been to go for tacky-cool (ださかっこい) packages and ads to get people’s attention. It worked. But what’s more than that, it’s really good tofu.

Most decent-sized Japanese grocery stores will have a few types of Otokomae tofu. The primary type, which comes in a standard rectangular package marked with a large 男　(Male) kanji on the front, is excellent, but my personal favorite is “Johnny” （ジョニー). This tofu comes quite close to cheesecake in sheer smooth, rich, flavor. It’s so different from what passes for tofu in the States that it shouldn’t even be called by the same name. Johnny comes in a long narrow package split into two sections with blue writing spelling out Johnny in katakana.

Of course just about all tofu in Japan is far superior to American tofu (which mysteriously has several weeks to a few months to the expiration date, whereas Japanese tofu expires within a few days). So it’s hardly surprising that so many Americans view tofu as a protein substitute for vegetarians, or a flavorless mass that needs strong seasoning to be palatable. If anyone reading this is of that persuasion and resides in Japan, I urge you to go to the supermarket and buy a pack of Johnny. I think it’s best with just tsuyu or soy sauce. Green onions or other garnishes would just distract from the rich flavor.