Jingo Kumano

is a former missing-nin from Kumogakure. After being pardoned by his village, he set out to start a ramen restaurant in Konohagakure.

Background
Jingo abandoned his village over having no talent as a shinobi, becoming a missing-nin. Eventually, the village pardoned him, but he was still jobless and without money. While wandering for a new purpose, he found his way to Konohagakure, and as the starving Jingo was passing Ramen Ichiraku, Teuchi and Ayame took sympathy on the man and treated him to a meal. So happy at both the taste of ramen and inspired by the joy such food could bring, he decided to move to Konoha to start a new life as a ramen chef.

Personality
Jingo is a nervous man of doubt. Admitting to his own limits as a shinobi, he struggles to find a path that he is good at. At the same time, he is passionate in his goal of being a chef.

Appearance
Jingo is a tan-skinned man of slim built and above-average height. He has grey, buzzed hair with pronounced cheekbones and tear-trough. Previously as a Kumo-nin, he wore a standard Kumo attire. Since becoming a chief, he generally wears a white chief's attire with an apron that has his restaurant's logo on the side.

Abilities
While fully trained as a shinobi, Jingo's actually performance is limited. Since becoming a ramen chief, he gained capable skill for cooking it. While struggling to make new recipes, he can get creative, ultimately gaining noticeable attention for it. From his shinobi days, he has maintained some skill in information gathering, discovering when a disguised ramen critic would eat in his restaurant.

New Era
After buying a cooking knife at Ninja Tools Roll Roll Roll, Jingo was approached and apprehended by Inojin Yamanaka and Chōchō Akimichi, who had been assigned a mission. Upon inspecting his belongings, they saw they were all kitchenware. Kohan Yamanaka arrived and apologised for the mix up, explaining that the Konoha Barrier Team's data was out of date, and Jingo had been pardoned by his village. Jingo invited the genin to his restaurant, and explained his goal of making a new recipe to impress an upcoming ramen critic to boost his business. The genin decided to help to make up for attacking him. After gathering ingredients and trying his food, something was still missing. Leaving the restaurant, a fleeing thief bumped into him, and mixed up stolen data with a spice container.

At night, Jingo returned to his restaurant for his missing wallet, but was kidnapped by the thieves looking for the stolen data. He was taken to their hideout, but was rescued by Chōchō and Inojin, as well as Shikadai and the other shinobi who were investigating the data thieves. Shikadai checked on them in the restaurant, and discovered Chōchō had the stolen data, mistaking it for seasoning. Jingo was inspired by Shikadai's words on what makes good team-work, and decided to add different flavoured crushed chips to his ramen. A positive review of his new recipe attracted many new customers to his restaurant.