When he took over the family business, he used his experience as a Japanese cuisine chef to launch a series of new products, including smoked funazushi, rusks, and even pickles and fermented dips made from funazushi rice. He has also made improvements to the funa-zushi, saying, "I have inherited my father's method of making funa-zushi, but I take a little extra step before dipping the rice in it to reduce the smell."

In the old days, when we had festivals or gatherings, we used to dish up funazushi like this," he said, preparing a plate full of funazushi. The beauty of the dish seems to reflect Shiga's pride and Okawa's passion.