The moment he stepped out of the elevator, Hachimine sensed something was off. The walls, the floor—everything was Gucci. He had stumbled into a fairy-tale world filled with flowers and antiques, blooming right in the heart of Ginza.
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo — A Playful Italian Restaurant Blooming in Ginza
The setting for this story is “Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Tokyo,” an Italian restaurant located on the top floor of the Gucci flagship store “Gucci Namiki” in Ginza. Opened in October 2021, this restaurant is operated by Gucci. It is the third location worldwide—following Florence and Beverly Hills, Los Angeles—and marks Gucci’s debut in Japan. The restaurant is overseen by Chef Massimo Bottura, who leads the three-Michelin-starred “Osteria Francescana” and has twice been named the world’s best restaurant in the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list. In 2023, it earned one star in the Michelin Guide Tokyo.
The face of the restaurant is its green façade, designed exclusively by artist Yuko Higuchi. The interior features wallpaper from Gucci’s Décor Collection, with the color scheme varying by area and room. The attention to detail is so thorough that the restaurant even offers a private dining room furnished with antique mirrors.
The culinary concept is anything but straightforward. It blends traditional Italian cuisine with Japanese ingredients and cooking techniques, featuring a menu of dishes with names that make you do a double-take. The main dining room seats 48 and also features a terrace and a bar.
In a nutshell, it’s a restaurant where some of the world’s finest cuisine and some of the world’s top brands come together to have some serious fun.
The reason for bringing a guest was a birthday.
The reason Hachimine chose this restaurant this time was clear: the birthday of a hostess in Ginza whom he knew was approaching.
"Your birthday's coming up, isn't it? Is there a restaurant you'd like to go to?"
"Huh, is that okay? Well, then, I'd like to go to the Gucci restaurant."
"Gucci, huh? It's a clothing store, right?"
"There's even a restaurant—one with a Michelin star."
"Can a clothing store win a star?"
"I'll take it."
At that point, Hachimine still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact that a brand-name restaurant had earned a star. But since this outing was also meant to celebrate his birthday, he couldn’t back out now. Besides, this was Ginza. He couldn’t very well chicken out in his own neighborhood.
Inside the Store, and the First Challenge
As soon as he stepped into the shop, his eyes were drawn to the floral decorations covering an entire wall, the elaborate wallpaper, and the antique furnishings. “It’s as if we’ve stepped into a Renaissance painting,” the hostess said dreamily, while Hachirine stood quietly, straightening his posture. The way he adjusted his tie seemed, if only slightly, more meticulous than usual.
I took my seat, and the menu was brought to me. Then, the first challenge arose.
"…How do you read this?"
"That's 'Parmigiana,'"
"It says, 'I want to be ramen,'"
"That's the name of the dish."
"Does food want to become ramen?"
"I want to be..."
This was the moment when a man who had spent 20 years in Ginza and had never once struggled with a menu was completely defeated by one for the first time. I never imagined I’d find myself dreaming about food.
In the end, Hachimine left it up to the hostess to take their order. As she scanned the menu, her eyes were those of a true hunter.
With each course, the lead shifts
Every dish that arrives is a feast for the eyes. Japanese ingredients and flavor profiles are subtly woven into the framework of traditional Italian cuisine, and with every bite, you find yourself tilting your head in wonder, wondering, “What country is this cuisine from?”
"This is really delicious, isn't it?"
"It sure is good. It's good, but I have no idea what's in it."
"You don't need to understand it. Just feel it."
"Feel"
"Yes. Feel it."
The man, who had been acting like a food connoisseur, was silenced by a single word: “feel.” With each course that arrived, the conversation quietly shifted to the hostess. From how to choose wine and how to eat pasta to the order of the desserts, Hachimine was entirely the listener that evening.
That said, it didn’t bother him. Before he knew it, the one who was supposed to be celebrating the birthday was following the lead of the person being celebrated. This scenario isn’t uncommon on a night out in Ginza. In fact, Hachimine told himself that this was exactly what Ginza was all about.
After the meal, at dessert time
After the main course was finished, it was time for dessert. When the hostess saw the plate that was brought to the table, her eyes widened.
"Wait, did I order dessert?"
"I didn't ask for that."
"So, what about this?"
"I already asked them to do it. It's my birthday, after all."
A simple celebratory message was placed on the plate. I had asked the restaurant to do this in advance.
"Wait, Mr. Hachimine did something so thoughtful?"
"What do you take me for?"
"I'm someone who can't read the menu."
“…That’s true, but that’s a different matter.”
It was one of those rare moments when, after giving up a point, he managed to win one back. The hostess laughed as she held her smartphone up to the plate. For a hostess in Ginza, looking “Instagram-worthy” is everything. Hachimine watched the scene with satisfaction.
We'll wrap up the evening with our usual spot in Ginza.
As they left the restaurant, the night in Ginza shimmered quietly. “Thank you for the meal,” the hostess said, bowing her head. For the guest, the real fun was just beginning. The two of them headed straight to the club where the hostess worked.
"So, how was your first meal at Gucci?"
"It was great. But the best part was that Mr. Hachimine was nervous the whole time."
"I'm not nervous."
"I had to fix my tie three times."
They had been counted. And three times, at that. Perhaps the outcome had already been decided before we even arrived at the store.
Summary
Even though we were in Ginza, it felt like a night where we’d wandered into the farthest country from Ginza. Michelin stars and parmigiana trying to be ramen were all unknown worlds to Hachirei, but his sole purpose—celebrating her birthday—remained unwavering. He couldn’t read the menu, but he certainly didn’t misread the celebratory mood—or so it seemed. Just a little while left until the hostess’s actual birthday. Where would he take her next? Or, for that matter, would he even be able to take her out again? Even at a Michelin-starred restaurant, Hachirei’s companionship was, in the end, just business as usual.
