Restaurant KIHACHI AOYAMA

"Freshly Crafted"

KIHACHI is a long-established and renowned restaurant in Japan, celebrating 25 years since its inception. Plans were set in motion to relocate its main restaurant back to its original site in Aoyama. Embracing the theme "Freshly Crafted," the design sought to blur the boundaries between kitchen and dining area, creating a space where guests can directly experience the vibrant moment when a dish comes to life. The casual atmosphere of the first floor centers around an open kitchen where chefs’ movements are clearly visible. A long counter table connects the kitchen and the seating area, generating a vivid sense of presence, while offering the luxury of savoring dishes freshly prepared right before one’s eyes. The dining area’s walls remain free of elaborate decoration, instead featuring carefully framed windows that showcase the natural beauty of the Ginkgo Avenue outside. This ever-changing seasonal view offers a richness and luxury beyond any artificial adornment, allowing guests to enjoy a unique landscape each time they visit. The formal ambiance of the second floor layers counter seats, table seating, and a terrace that overlooks the nearby ginkgo trees within arm’s reach. Expansive windows bring the lush outdoor scenery inside, seamlessly blending the kitchen’s lively atmosphere with nature’s ever-shifting panorama. This design embodies the luxury of experiencing the very essence of dining—the joy of tasting freshly prepared food at its freshest.