Hachimine took part in the popular “Gochi Battle” series hosted by YouTuber Rafael, who has over 3 million subscribers. In this competition, participants vie to guess the exact amount as closely as possible, and the person whose guess is furthest off ends up paying the entire bill out of their own pocket—this thrilling showdown took place at an authentic, high-end Chinese restaurant in Akasaka.
Turandot Garyo-kyu — A Renowned Chinese Restaurant Run by Yuji Wakiya
The setting for this event was “Turandot Waryō-kyu” in Akasaka, owned and operated by Yuji Wakiya, a leading chef in Japan’s Chinese culinary scene. With a menu of approximately 120 à la carte items—including appetizers, main courses, and desserts—guests can freely enjoy dishes ranging from traditional Chinese cuisine to seasonal specialties, depending on the occasion. The restaurant is characterized by spaces where guests can relax comfortably even in the heart of the city, such as the airy main dining room and the glass-walled room overlooking a garden where the green of the bamboo stands out.
The rules are brutal, and the contestants are all unique characters.
The rules of “Gochi Battle” are simple yet brutal. Participants order whatever they like from the menu, and the person whose total comes closest to the set amount wins, while the person whose total is furthest off has to pay the entire bill for everyone out of their own pocket. The set amount for this round is 30,000 yen per person. What’s more, there’s even a “Dobon Menu”—a single dish that costs over 30,000 yen—meaning you’re instantly eliminated the moment you order it. It’s terrifying.
The seven participants were Raphael, Kajisaku, Yuji Kawahara, Yoko Kumada, Hachimine, President Gussuri Yamada, and President Kakumeiji. Some spoke confidently about their Chinese cuisine skills, while others boasted of their past achievements; each took their seat with their own agenda in mind.
Hachimine's self-introduction is confident.
"I've been in business in Ginza for about 20 years and have eaten a lot of delicious food, so I think this is probably number one."
I meant it half in jest. It was supposed to be just a casual remark to lighten the mood, but Raphael replied, “If it’s a nighttime thing, that’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” and the other participants chimed in in unison, “That sounds super intense.” His claim of having spent 20 years in Ginza seemed to carry weight in this culinary battle. Faced with a reaction stronger than he’d expected, a faint thought began to take root in Hachimine’s mind: “Huh, maybe I’ve got a shot after all.”
Dishes that are far too extravagant, and prices that are hard to gauge
The battle kicked off with a toast featuring “Cristal,” a premium champagne that Chairman Kawahara had ordered to liven things up. Later in the event, he even ordered a bottle of the premium red wine “Opus One.” While the participants fretted—“The chairman’s ordering something outrageous again” and “Who do you think is going to pay for this?”—he remained completely unfazed, calmly remarking, “Results are all that matter.” Just from this sequence alone, you can sense that the bill is going to be astronomical.
A platter of appetizers, shark fin soup, and a tasting of crab marinated in Shaoxing wine—every dish that was brought to the table drew rave reviews from everyone. And with spectacular highlights like the Peking duck, a whole bird carved right at our table, there was no end to the delights.
However, while everyone is thrilled by the delicious food, what torments the participants is the “unpredictability of the prices.” A dish they thought was cheap turns out to be expensive, while a famous specialty they expected to be pricey comes at a surprisingly reasonable price—their expectations are constantly being subverted. Hachimine had ordered Peking duck, but, overwhelmed by the grandeur of the presentation, he found himself scratching his head over how difficult it was to predict the price.
Find out how it all plays out in the video
Some took a bold, aggressive approach; others played it safe; and still others were tripped up by their preconceptions. As the motives of these seven individuals collided, who ended up footing the bill for this astronomical total? And how did Hachimine—a man with 20 years of experience in Ginza—navigate this high-end Chinese cuisine showdown?
I really hope you'll watch the full video to see how it ends.
The world of high-end Chinese cuisine is a surprisingly complex battleground where “the unpredictability of prices”—rather than knowledge or experience—is what truly determines victory or defeat. Whether Hachirei’s discerning eye, honed over 20 years in Ginza, proved effective or not—we hope you’ll laugh along as you enjoy this roughly one-hour battle of joy and despair.
