The first Yamatoya restaurant opened during the 10th year of the Meiji era (1877) in Osaka. And now, that same Yamatoya is bringing its centuries of experience to two new Tokyo dining establishments: the Akasaka Niku-kappo Yamatoya and the Nihon-ryori Yamatoya Sangen Ginza, both of which opened on the same day on August 19.

The two eateries are known as “kappo” restaurants, which usually describes a traditional Japanese business where guests can see the cook preparing their food. Most sushi bars can be called kappo restaurants but you rarely see this model applied to other cuisine. The two meat-focused Yamatoya restaurants aim to change that, merging traditional Japanese food with all the advancements that modern food preparation techniques have to offer, all while using only the freshest, seasonal ingredients. The only place they differ is in the interior design. While both restaurants have a very calm and elegantly simple Japanese interior, the Ginza establishment prefers lots of light while the Akasaka one keeps the lights low.

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