Kagaya is a famous Japanese inn (ryokan) on the Noto Peninsula with over 100 years of history. It continues to attract the patronage of many guests thanks to its meticulous and generous hospitality that puts customer satisfaction above all else. This project designed the Kagaya Hakataten Restaurant, the first restaurant in Kyushu directly operated by Kagaya. We needed to carefully and thoroughly plan out the details to create a space deserving of carrying on the spirit of hospitality of the Japanese inn.

The restaurant space itself is long and gradually becomes narrower. We therefore used the windows located in the back to let in sunlight and create an open feel around the tables. As a result, the area in front of this took on a more closed feel, so we turned this area into private and semi-private dining rooms to effectively use this spatial constraint. The building’s environment features lush greenery, and we designed the restaurant interior to be able to enjoy this landscape as well.

Works by famous artists are placed around the restaurant and communicate the traditional crafts of Kaga while heightening the space’s refined atmosphere. Of them, the light purple woven cloth adding color to the back tables has been processed to have ripples and extends in a curve from the wall to the ceiling to express the tranquil landscape of the sea extending out in front of the Kagaya ryokan.

It would be deeply gratifying if customers who know and love Kagaya come to the restaurant and are delighted and satisfied by the space as well as by Kagaya’s traditional cuisine.