Confectionery Purveyor Toraya Get a Makeover in Akasaka
Toraya, an institution in traditional Japanese confectionery for the last 500 years, has had a facelift. Gone are the days of the nine-storey tower block built in 1964. The brand has now opted for purity and clarity with a fully glazed facade. Inside, natural takes precedence with a hinoki wood coating on the walls, embellished with touches of black, all bathed in daylight.
The gallery in the basement is a new addition and hosts exhibitions and thematic events around traditional Japanese culture. However it is likely to be the tea room on the third floor that will attract crowds. Visitors will be able to taste dishes and desserts specially developed for the Akasaka branch such as senri no kaze, a yokan (here a jellied mix of different beans) striped with red bean paste, a nod to the name of the house (tora means tiger in Japanese).
Toraya Akasaka
4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
TRENDING
-
Casa Wabi, the Engaged Art Foundation Building a Bridge Between Japan and Mexico
Designed by a Mexican artist and created by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, it makes sure to include the local community in its projects.
-
The Four Leaves Villa, The House That Mirrors Nature
Located in the heart of the Karuizawa forest in Japan, the Four Leaves Villa, designed by architecture studio Kias, blends into the landscape.
-
Four Unmissable Beers to Try in Japan
Did you know that craft only arrived in Japan 25 years ago? Some of them have already made history however!
-
Hiroshi Senju, the Artist who Paints Waterfalls
A proponent of nihonga (traditional Japanese paintings), Hiroshi Senju is known for his large-scale waterfall paintings and has his own museum in Karuizawa.
-
At 82, Keiichi Tanaami is Still the King of Pop Art
Animation, comic book illustrations, collages, experimental films, paintings, sculpture... Keiichi Tanaami has been working in Pop Art for over 50 years.
