An Innovative Founder Devoted to the Arts

Ginza in the 1870s was lined with brick buildings and lit by gas lamps. The very symbol of Japan's modernization at that time, today it retains its status as one of Japan's leading shopping districts, home to luxury brands and venerable department stores. This historic district is also home to Ginza Ten-ichi's flagship store.

Shortly after founding the restaurant in 1930, Yabuki Toshio installed electric vents and air conditioning, both revolutionary at the time. And while Edomae tempura was traditionally fried only in sesame oil, Yabuki added corn oil, a new import from America, for a lighter, crisper texture that became popular. His innovations enabled him to cook his tempura where his customers could see him, in a pleasant environment for intimate conversation.

Yabuki's character and refinement made Ten-ichi a popular destination for important figures in culture, politics and business: former Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru and British ceramicist Bernard Leach are said to have loved Ten-ichi's tempura. Other dignitaries who have come to Ten-ichi include U.S. President Clinton and French President Jacques Chirac.

Yabuki Isao believed that "Cooking is a comprehensive art. It is responsive to the five senses and it brings people great joy." He was particular about the restaurant's interior design, using tableware by renowned artists such as Kawakita Handeishi. The Ginza flagship store, which was renovated in 2022, continues to boast a luxurious atmosphere and attentive service.

A 1960s Ten-ichi magazine ad. The restaurant flourished, expanding from its Ginza flagship store to Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and other locations across the country.

Many famous Japanese writers gathered at the restaurant when Bernard Leach visited it in 1953. The painting on the left is by Leach.

Singer Frank Sinatra had been looking forward to visiting Ten-ichi ever since his visit to Japan to entertain occupying forces after World War II.