The story of Uni Ipeh, a Minang migrant who owns RM Padang Amanah Mande in Tokyo

Tokyo – The aroma of rendang and curry spices can be smelled from the first step up the stairs to the first floor. Above the door, you can see a towering gonjong roof – a symbol of a typical Minang gadang house standing proudly among the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. It is from that place that Nurhanifa, or known as Uni Ipeh, maintains her feelings and longings for her hometown in West Sumatra. It has been almost two decades since Uni Ipeh lived in Japan. This migrant from Padang is now known as the owner of the Padang Amanah Mande Restaurant, which is located in Kanagawa Ken, Atsugi, Asahicho, about an hour’s drive from central Tokyo. “At first I only wanted to make small sales, but it turned out that it continued to grow from there,” he said softly when met in Tokyo on Saturday (18/10/2025). Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT The story begins long before the aroma of rendang fills the room. Ipeh graduated from Bung Hatta University in 2006 with a major in Japanese literature. Not long after, he was selected to receive a Monbukagakusho scholarship from the Japanese government. In 2007, he left and continued his education at Yokohama National University through a function training program for language teachers. “The program was a year and a half, but after that I went on to Masters, then Doctorate. Until now I’m still there, still struggling,” he said with a laugh. Her university years brought Ipeh to meet the Japanese man who is now her husband. He met her through friends, and their relationship slowly grew into serious love. Two years before the wedding, the future husband decided to convert to Islam. “He converted to Islam two years before we got married. But my family didn’t approve immediately,” he said. Padang Amanah Mande Restaurant, located in Kanagawa Ken, Atsugi, Asahicho, about an hour’s drive from central Tokyo. (Ahmad Toriq/detikcom) Their relationship was full of challenges, until Ipeh’s family finally melted and accepted his choice. They married in 2013 and now have five children. “Thank God, finally everyone accepted. We built a life from scratch here,” he said quietly. His love for Minang’s culinary delights led him to open a small business in 2018. At the time, he sold halal products from home and brought his goods by car to send to fellow students and Indonesian workers – a kind of local jastip. “At first it was just one room that was used as a shop, but over time it became a necessity for many people,” he recalls. When the children began attending YUAI International Islamic School in Shibuya, Ipeh’s family moved to Kanagawa so that the distance was easier. The new four-story house they bought has been converted into a residence and business center: the basement is for the Halal Mart, the first floor is for the restaurant, the second floor is a prayer room and community room, and the third floor is where the family lives. The building has a unique style: at the front stands the gonjong roof typical of a Minang gadang house, symbolizing Ipeh’s origin and pride as an urang crew. The restaurant officially opened on November 20, 2024, having previously participated in the Indonesian Festival in Tokyo. Now the name Amanah Mande is slowly becoming widely known among the Indonesian diaspora and Japanese citizens through their Instagram account, @amanah_mande. Amanah Mande Restaurant serves authentic Padang flavors, without compromise. “We are not adapting the taste to the Japanese tongue. This is Padang, not another version,” Ipeh emphasized. The main spices are imported directly from Padang, some via trust services because spice import permits are still quite complicated. To maintain the taste, Ipeh even brought a native Bukittinggi chef to Japan for a three-month trial period. The main menu is Wagyu rendang and Wagyu satays, a combination of Indonesian flavors with premium Japanese ingredients. “Those who try to say it just call it rendang. And I am grateful to be able to introduce this taste from the heart,” he said. Apart from taking care of businesses and large families in other countries, Uni Ipeh is also active in social activities and organizations. He is listed as a member of the Japanese Minang Family Association (IKM) Advisory Board, which was under the auspices of the IKM Foreign Representative Council (DPLN) during the leadership of IKM General Chairman Andre Rosiade. Nurhanifa, or known as Uni Ipeh, is a migrant from Padang who is now known as the owner of the Padang Amanah Mande Restaurant, located in Kanagawa Ken, Atsugi, Asahicho, about an hour’s drive from central Tokyo. (Ahmad Toriq/detikcom) Through this role, Ipeh has become a bridge between the Minang people in Japan and their homeland, both in cultural, social and culinary activities. For Uni Ipeh, going overseas does not mean leaving the native land. Every spice, every dish, is a way to stay home, even without actually returning. “We may be far from home, but that feeling cannot be lost. Through cooking, I come home every day,” he said, ending the conversation. In the name Amanah Mande there is a philosophy of life that he holds close: amanah means responsibility that must be maintained, and mande means mother, a source of love and feelings. In the midst of busy Tokyo, Uni Ipeh upholds both – the mandate to continue spreading kindness, and the taste of baskets that ignite the warmth of the hometown in every plate of rendang served at Kanagawa Ken, Atsugi, Asahicho. (tor/rfs)