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Watch: The Master Pizzaiolo Serving Japan’s Best Pies

Susumu Kakinuma puts his spin on classic Neapolitan pies

“In both pizza and music, rhythm is the most crucial,” according to pizzaiolo Susumu Kakinuma. “You can’t make good pizza or play good music without the correct rhythm, so for me pizza and music are one and the same.” Kakinuma is Tokyo’s most famous pizza maker, credited for starting the Neapolitan pizza movement in Japan and serving the pies people travel all over the world for.

At Seirinkan — his 23-year-old pizzeria in Tokyo — Kakinuma has been serving classic versions of margherita and marinara pizza; it’s even been accredited by the True Neapolitan Pizza Association. “I had my first pizza in Naples 40 years ago,” remembers Kakinuma. “When I had my first bite it had a very nostalgic taste and it left a deep impression on me.” He adds: “That’s when I decided to become a pizza chef.”

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