Japanese Restaurant GINZA KUKI by Atsuko Oku / plastac — IDREIT®

Tokyo-based design studio Plastac has designed a Japanese restaurant GINZA KUKI in Tokyo. The restaurant is run by Hikari Miso, a long-established miso company, and its menu is based on the theme of fermentation and maturation. The restaurant's name is derived from Kuki, the origin of miso.

When we asked the designer Atsuko Oku about the initial concept, she replied: “ We aimed to create the best, most comfortable, Japanese space we could design, with authentic materials and delicate details. Because we were not expected to imitate traditional Japanese architecture.”

The entrance passage walls were finished with custom-made grey earthen walls having layered texture, and the floor was volcanic stone, Basaltina. They also built an L-shaped counter in the centre of the restaurant, made of solid ‘Tamo’ Japanese ash, and Oya stone wall as the chefs' background. Oya stone, an indigenous Japanese soft stone, was the only request from the client, Oku recalled.

When asked about the key to the design, she replied “We were cautious with the overall colour palette. The ceiling and some of the walls are made of veneers that have been bleached and dyed grey. Between the rooms, The design team installed custom-made steel partitions. The slats are rounded to give a gentle impression. Also, each slat of this partition can be rotated to create a blindfold.”

Delicate attention to detail can also be seen in the ceiling, air condition units and lighting. “To provide a pleasant dining experience for the guest, we decided to hide what was unnecessary, so They hid all the air conditioning unit in the ceiling. It took a lot of work to design, but the client was satisfied with the result. Besides, for the ceiling light, we arranged the bulbs and frames to be invisible from customers”, she explained. “Nowadays, due to cost constraints, owners often say that exposed AC systems are sufficient, but this restaurant design reminded me of how essential it is to consider every detail of fittings like indirect lighting, AC and louvres,” Oku said, referring to recent trends.

As well as the detailed ceilings, we can see her delicate design in everything the guests see or touch, such as the tables, custom-made door handles and wooden amenity boxes.

Besides, for the restaurant, Plastac designed the interior and directed the art and graphic design, ensuring a consistent atmosphere. In cooperation with Base Gallery, Picasso’s lithographs and other works that harmonise with the colour scheme have been chosen regarding the art. Regarding the art, in cooperation with Base Gallery, Picasso's lithographs were chosen for the walls and other works that harmonise with the colour scheme of the interior. As the owner is a miso (fermented soybean paste) company, a glass object in the shape of a soybean is placed at the entrance to tell the visitor the story behind the restaurant.