Ray Hattori on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Ray Hattori. Check out our conversation below.

Ray, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Challenging is a spice of my life. As far as it is so, I enjoy wandering. I’m optimistic enough to make me think I will be able to make everything I dream of happen. This positive tendency comes from my past experience when I was an elementary school boy.
I was like a boss of the small neighborhood kindergarten, who met the same kind of bad boy from the bigger one. We didn’t get along and eventually we got into fight. Then I lost the fight and my miserable life started. Soon I was bullied by his group physically and mentally every day. I can’t tell you how I’d been treated in this interview! Even worse, my home was not that sweet. My parents were academically and socially successful and I was like a black sheep. My young parents at the time were kind of disappointed at me. I was so helpless and there was no way out to get out of my situation. When I was a third grade, I was so overwhelmed that I was about to jump off from the top of my apartment.
When I met swimming and American songs in a 4th grade, I felt I saw the light towards my future for the first time in my life. They led me to the higher confidence level. I got the both physical and mental strength from the series of hard swimming practices. By listening to famous American music, I was academically more curious. The more confidence I was, the more friends I could make. As a result, I was not alone anymore. The last event was a final and “revenge” fight with the boy in a 6th grade. I won this time and from that moment on I could finally and officially get away from the life of the bullied. Since then, in whatever difficult situation I may be, I can take it calmly and positively because nothing is more helpless than what I went through. “Don’t give up and I will be able to make it” is my basis of my life. In that sense, I am walking a path in my own life by continuous challenges.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ray Hattori. I am the owner of the authentic Japanese restaurant called “Soba Izakaya MINAMI” in beautiful Laguna Hills. As the restaurant name implies, we focus on Soba noodle, which is made of buckwheat. Along with Ramen and Udon, Soba is one of the biggest noodle cultures in Japan, enjoyed at least more than 500 years ago. Soba is an essential part of everyday Japanese life. The typical example is that there is a nationwide custom of eating Soba on New Year’s Eve, intended to enable the household to let go of the year’s hardship because Soba is easily cut. Soba can also bring you health benefits. Soba decreases cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, reduce fat accumulation, and promotes healthy bowel movements. Famous people such as Steve Jobs, Anthony Bourdain and Steven Seagal are known as Soba enthusiasts. Ramen is standing on culinary mainstream in America. Udon has been well-known in the local community. Compared with those two, Soba doesn’t have enough recognition yet. But I strongly believe in Soba’s potential I am ambitiously working hard to contribute to establishing a stronger friendship between my favorite two countries – U.S. and Japan – by spreading healthy and yummy Soba culture among the local. I’m looking at San Diego County as my next target.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Before I stepped into the restaurant business, I used to work for the Japanese alcohol beverage company more than two decades since I graduated. The company sent me here in U.S. and I dealt with a lot of restaurant accounts. Selling our products was my main concern for the first time but as I see owners and their workers who get involved in the business, I came to realize how important spreading culture among the locals through the business is. When people know foreign country, their foods are the most likely to come first. Even though there are a lot of successful Japanese restaurant owners, they keep telling me their stories about how difficult spreading Japanese food concepts were in the beginning. Thanks to their long time efforts, Sushi becomes one of America’s favorite foods and Ramen can be enjoyed all over the states. I am following our ancestors’ footsteps, working hard to cultivate Soba culinary concept.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
It really depends on how you take. When I was bullied, everything looked like the end of the world. It was my elementary school day and I was just saddened by the fact I was bullied. My view came from the victim side. As I get older, I could start asking myself why I was so treated from my third person perspective. ” Do I have any problems with me?” “Is there anything I can do to stay away from the situation?” I wasn’t good academically at all since I didn’t listen to what teachers said and I didn’t do any homework. So I started spending some time to study in order to keep up at least with the average level. I was sloppy. Then I started paying more attention to what and how to wear. I also tried to keep things tidy. I was tall but too thin. Then I belonged to the swimming club and exercised regularly. Every little bit counts. My little efforts pumped up my confident level. It was the fact of winning the revenge fight that I could finally stay away from the nightmare of the bullied but what’s more important is these little improvements have helped me go through the difficulties as positively and calmly as possible. The female worker is flexing her biceps and says “We can do it!” Since then these little processes has made me believe in my potential.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Good foods always bring smile and joyful atmosphere. I am the restaurant owner and at the same time I want to do whatever I can do though business to establish the better relationship between U.S. and Japan.
Seeing is believing. My late grandfather and grandmother used to tell a little me about their hardship during the war. They kept telling me whom they didn’t like, who was to be blamed on the situation, how miserable their life was and so on. Then we often made loud argument on the war Japan was defeated. What they said was sometimes too extreme for me. But I don’t think we could understand each other since war is a real life for them and not for me. They didn’t change their view until they passed away. In order not to make the unfortunate event happen, all I can do here in beautiful Laguna Hills is keep serving good foods with Japanese-style hospitality. Through the effort, we would like as many local clientele as possible to have positive image on my country. World is filled with uncertainty and more conflicts break out. Because of such surrounding situations, I keep working harder as an unofficial grassroots ambassador to make two hands shake firmly with big smile.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I want to expand this Soba concept business all over. This is my dream. As long as it is so, what I’m doing must be what I was born to do.
When I was a little boy, I had a different dream but I seriously looked for a world peace. When I was in university, I wanted to get involved with international affairs in my future and I got out of my country every time I had a long vacation. After graduation, I joined one of the biggest alcohol beverage companies in Japan., which later gave me the opportunity to work in the U.S. But this chance didn’t come so soon. I was put as Sales and Marketing in the Japanese countryside for the first six years. I was so disappointed since I was away from Metropolitan Tokyo, where my then girlfriend lived and farther away from abroad. It was the worst assignment in my career but I quietly looked for the chance by following what my bosses told me just like the lion is stalking its prey. It wasn’t my duties but business connections that let me come out of the dark. I was lucky enough to meet the person who led me to having my own location in beautiful Laguna Hills.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soba_izakaya_minami/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sobaizakayaminami/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/soba-izakaya-minami-laguna-hills-2?osq=Japanese

Image Credits
0. My selfie inside my restaurant

1. Hot Udon w/Shrimp Tempura. This combination is normally enjoyed on the New Year’s Eve as Toshikoshi Soba, which is a famous custom in Japan and is intended to enable the household to let go of the year’s hardship.
2. Geso Tempura Bowl. Geso means squid legs. This is our employees’ favorite staff meal and only available in DoorDash and UberEats.
3. Beef Dipping Soba. This is our signature and the most popular menu.
4. Beef Hot Soba w/Burdock Tempura. This beef and burdock tempura combination is very traditional and is also getting more popular here.
5. Our Soba Noodle is fresh, homemade, crafted and authentic.
6. When we are closed on Tuesday, we often rent our space to the public. This scene is “Sally’s Fitness” workshop by Sally Hattori.
7. Sunset from outside in front of our restaurant in beautiful Laguna Hills.