Yakitori Aramaki&Yuasona

Tokyo/2024

“Tree Age“

Trees grow, and so do people.

This project is designed with counter seating only on both the first and second floors.

The defining feature of a counter is that customers and chefs sit across from each other with ingredients between them, allowing for casual conversation. However, in most parts of the world, it is not common for chefs and customers to interact on equal terms. While bars exist where people drink together, the style of dining at a counter is unique to Japan.

Behind the counter, chefs—known as itamae—prepare dishes. This space is reserved for highly trained professionals who have undergone years of rigorous training in areas such as dishwashing, plating, grilling, cutting, and simmering. The reason this tradition has flourished in Japan is that society has long held deep respect for these dedicated chefs and their craft.

As designers, we began to wonder: Could standing behind the counter symbolize both years of training and the depth of human experience, much like the growth of a tree?

With this in mind, we designed the ceiling above the counter area to feature cascading pine trees.

The walls and ceiling are painted in an earthy red tone, creating a color scheme that evokes the blessings of the earth throughout the space.

Through this setting, we hope people can experience the beautiful relationship between food and people.

Design：Masahiro Yoshida, Kim Hyeong Wook
Photo ：Keisuke Miyamoto