Sakura-tei, located in bustling Harajuku, is a unique restaurant where food meets art.
The entire facility, from its facade to its interior, is emblazoned with vibrant paintings, and the menu itself offers plenty of addicting Japanese dishes. The restaurant’s massive scale—220 seats—coupled with its vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free alternatives make it a place where everyone can enjoy a memorable dining experience. Plus, it is open every day and welcomes walk-ins.
Learn more about this stylishly delicious restaurant!
The menu
Sakura-tei’s robust menu focuses on teppanyaki—a type of Japanese cuisine in which the food is cooked on a teppan, or a flat iron griddle. Main dishes include:
- Okonomiyaki: a savory, pancake-like dish that consists of wheat batter and an array of complementary ingredients.
- Monjayaki: born in Tokyo, monjayaki is similar to okonomiyaki except the batter is thinner, making for a flatter dish.
- Yakisoba: a noodle stir-fry dish that typically consists of wheat flour noodles, vegetables, meat, and a sweet and savory sauce.
- Sobameshi: a noodle dish similar to yakisoba, except it also includes rice. It is popular in the Kansai region (southern-central Japan).
In addition to the above courses, Sakura-tei also serves seafood, meat, and vegetable platters, as well as side dishes like pickles, edamame, and kimchi.
The restaurant’s most popular dish is its Sakurayaki, which is okonomiyaki filled with pork, squid, shrimp, mushrooms, sakura shrimp, and egg. If you are looking to try a less common dish, Sakura-tei recommends its sobameshi. In fact, Sakura-tei is the first restaurant to introduce sobameshi to the greater Tokyo area!
If you want a completely personalized experience, you can also make your own dish. Simply choose your desired base (okonomiyaki, monjayaki or yakisoba), and then select as many toppings as your heart desires.
The cooking process
At Sakura-tei, you are the chef! Each table is equipped with a flat iron griddle and all of the necessary condiments. The restaurant also provides step-by-step instructions about how to cook each dish. If you are still unsure, the staff are happy to lend a hand during the cooking process.
The Sakura-tei difference
Sakura-tei stands out with its inclusive menu and unique ingredients, many of which are sourced from its own farm, TOHOKU BOKUJO RANCH, in northern Japan’s Aomori Prefecture. The 40-year old, 100% pure organic farm does not use any pesticides or chemicals and supplies Sakura-tei with bounties of seasonal produce—providing flavorful farm-to-table dining experiences. For instance, from May to October, you can add farm-grown wild herbs to any dish, introducing a touch of freshness, bitterness, or earthiness to your creations. You can also purchase a platter of the farm’s organic vegetables.
For vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets, Sakura-tei offers the following options:
- Gluten-free customers can request rice flour in place of wheat flour for all okonomiyaki and monjayaki offerings.
- Vegetarian visitors can order vegetable platters and vegetarian okonomiyaki made with vegetable broth instead of fish broth.
- Vegan individuals can order similarly to vegetarians and additionally request no egg. Sakura-tei also has soybean-based mayonnaise.
In terms of English support, Sakura-tei has English-speaking staff, English menus, and English cooking instructions.
All-you-can-eat & drink
Elevate your experience at Sakura-tei with its All-you-can-eat & drink offering. Available all day and priced at 4,500 yen, this two-hour dining option comes with endless single servings of your choice of okonomiyaki, monjayaki, and yakisoba plus toppings, as well as all-you-can-eat appetizers. For drinks, Sakura-tei has a plethora of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, including beer, highballs (whisky), sours, sake, wine, and soft drinks.
The building and art
Sakura-tei is more than just a restaurant, it is a celebration of the arts. Every centimeter of the building is decorated in artists’ creative works, and each room feels like a step into a different world. The dynamic space changes regularly as Sakura-tei accepts new artists’ creative ideas.
On the second floor, Sakura-tei has a spacious dining area, making it an ideal place for large groups and parties. There is also a small balcony where you can enjoy a refreshing beverage while overlooking greenery.
The massive and colorful building is more than just Sakura-tei, it also houses Design Festa Gallery and Design Festa Cafe & Bar, both of which are related to the restaurant. The art gallery has 70 exhibition areas and aims to create a space where all artists can showcase their creations, and the cafe bar serves local Japanese craft beer and lattes made with plants grown on Sakura-tei's farm.
Check out Sakura-tei!
While exploring Harajuku, do not pass up Sakura-tei. With its diverse and delectable menu, fresh ingredients, English support, interactive dining experiences, and one-of-a-kind artistic flare, Sakura-tei promises to deliver a meal you will not soon forget.
