HACHIKO Japanese Bar & Kitchen

Valery Lizunov and Sergey Gasparov, the creators of the bars PARKA, Prscco bar, Apr.l bar, successfully implemented a bold idea to open a window to Japan in the center of Moscow. Now a lively Pyatnitskaya street has a large showcase window, behind which lies a cozy restaurant with Japanese charm, a fashionable design and an authentic menu. The name in honor of the dog, famous for its fidelity, speaks for itself. If you will be here once, you will forever become a fan of HACHIKO Japanese Bar & Kitchen!

The main source of inspiration for designers was Japanese izakaya bars. These bars are located in Tokyo next to the Hachiko Monument at Shibuya Station. These are family minibars with an open kitchen and fresh produce in the windows, where the tables are always reserved in advance due to a lot of tourists. This format is new for Moscow, so professionals took up the incarnation. One of the most famous Japanese chefs in Kobayashi Katsuhiko responsible for the kitchen, and Archpoint architectural bureau create the interior.

The design of Japanese food service, especially outside of Japan, seems to be a very difficult task. Architects did their best to avoid typical decorating techniques in designing a new place in the center of Moscow. At the same time, they understood that it was completely impossible to do without references to traditions and a rich cultural heritage. The result was a moderately eclectic and sophisticated interior with subtle allusions to Japanese history.

So, references to Japanese culture are read in the smallest details: traditional tiles, which cover the whole wall, natural stone and wood finishes, living plants that adorn each table. All this focuses on the signature style of life of the Japanese in unity with nature. Atmosphere supported by color scheme: light brown, gray walls combined with black and light beige colors.

Designers decided to play not only in shades, but also in textures: catchy tile panels are adjacent to the tiles on the floor, and the smooth surfaces of tables with wood patterns are successfully combined with a plain velvet upholstery of furniture.

The central place in the hall is reserved for a large chef’s table and small tables separated by an aisle. The open kitchen directly behind the counter became the place of attraction: sitting here, you can watch the cooking process in real time.

But this is not the only landing zone in the bar. For private meetings, there is a private room with semicircular sofas trimmed with dark gray textile and tables that follow the contours of upholstered furniture. Intricate Japanese-style fixtures create subdued light and bring an Art Deco touch to the interior. Also, architects competently planned lighting scenarios in the main hall. During the day, the space is flooded with sunlight (or artificial in cloudy weather), and in the evening, on the contrary, a cozy twilight is created.

They plan to offer a special cocktails and feed them with the Hachiko branded roll to 40 persons. This is how much a cozy bar can contain with its rather tight fit. And everyone is promised a vivid gastronomic spectacle, the result of which will be kindly served on a long wooden shovel in the best traditions of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Authors: Bureau ARCHPOINT - Valery Lizunov, Ekaterina Ageeva
Visualizer: Alina Shatokhina
Concept: Angela Moiseeva
Photo: Olga Melekestseva