Project name: Japanese Cuisine Tokiwa
Address: 1-9-7 Nishiazabu SHVETS RESIDENCEII 1st floor, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Program: Restaurant
Construction: Shibutani Group Co., Ltd.
Floor area: 58.27㎡
Completion: 06/2020
Architect: Fumihiko Sano Studio
Photographer: ad hoc Co., Ltd. Daisuke Shima

This is a close look at the front door of the Japanese Restaurant with a wooden door accented with a black wall and black frame.

The side of the wooden main door has a glass panel adorned with a small potted plant.

On the far side of the foyer is a black wooden shiplap wall adorned with a wall-mounted flower display.

This black wooden wall is like a hidden doorway that opens to the restaurant.

This is a close look at the flora mounted display on the black wall.

This is a close look at the ceiling and the edge of the wooden pillar and how it connects to the beams of the ceiling.

This is a close look at the dark wooden wall showcasing the texture and tone.

This is a close look at the flooring and the edge of the wooden pillar.

This is a close look at the dining area with a alrge rectangular wooden dining table pressed against the small wooden bar for serving food.

The wooden serving bar is adorned with a potted plant and the table is surrounded by wooden chairs.

This is another look at the dining area, its rectangular wooden dining table and the surrounding wooden chairs.

This is a close look at the wooden light fixture with a warm yellow light hanging over the table.

This is a close look at the ceiling that has a woven wicker aesthetic and design.

This is a close look at the wooden accents of the walls of the restaurant matching with the dining table.

This is a full view of the restaurant bar area with a set of chairs facing the built-in wooden table attched to the cooking area and preparation area.

This is a close look at the walkway in between the bar area and the separate dining table on the side. This walkway leads to a doorway on the far side.

The wooden ceiling over this area is adorned with exposed beams and modern lighting over the food preparation area.

This is a close look at the wooden ceiling that has beams to match the walls.

This is a look at the large food preparation area with modern lighting that pairs well with the wooden elements.

This project is a new store reopened by a chef who has been operating a Japanese restaurant in Ginza for about 20 years. The interior design is a Sukiya style to reflect the chef’s personal fondness of tea ceremonies.
The entire area is divided into an entrance, a private room, a counter, a table area. The design and materials were selected to differ in the nature of the space, based on the aesthetics of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony room. The door of the façade is made from a 350-year-old single piece of Kirishima cedar with a brass frame, a design fitting to represent the design of the restaurant.

For the approach from the entrance to the dining area, the light is narrowed in the entrance space with a combination of burned cedar and black-dyed handmade Japanese paper to contrast the textures of the black wrought iron plate. After passing through the dark corridor, a private room is visible with a large chestnut wood column.

In the private room, the ceiling is designed with a wickerwork finish with indirect lighting which is covered with a gold paint pattern with a pine printed screen door. The red pine floor beam is combined with the base plate of Japanese cypress to complement the table made of a solid piece of zelkova wood.

For the counter seats, Yoshino cypress wood with a width of 650 mm was used to create clean details with sharp edges. The counter and the fixtures on the back are also made from Yoshino cypress. The board and batten ceiling are finished with Yoshino cedar.

The Yoshino cypress table seats are accented with small Japanese cedar logs from North Kyoto, small bamboo pieces, notched shingle ceiling boards, and a niche designed with camellia logs. The outer garden is decorated with moss, autumn leaves, and camellia. The height is adjusted so that the fallen leaves and camellia flowers can be seen on the ground from the window.

A representative of how the chef selects specific ingredients for a dish, materials were derived from a design of a traditional tea ceremony which incorporated Sukiya techniques and expression methods. As the design will develop with age, space successfully represents the identity of the chef with an interest in tea ceremonies.