If my guests ask me to recommend one of the most renowned Izakayas, Japanese-style pubs, Gonpachi Nishiazabu in Tokyo would be at the top of my list. It retains a traditional Japanese pub atmosphere, featuring a mood reminiscent of Matsuri, or festival, in English.
One of the reasons it became famous is due to a special occasion. It was the venue where then-US President George W. Bush and then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a casual meeting in 2002, in an attempt to create an amicable atmosphere between the two countries.
However, another event pushed Gonpachi into a globally renowned restaurant status. That event was a film, “Kill Bill,” directed by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino was inspired by the interior of Gonpachi Nishiazabu, which is designed in a style reminiscent of a traditional Japanese theater, and then used it to create the stage setup for a famous battle scene from Gonpachi. Please watch the video below to see the similarity, but be aware that it contains bloody violence.
Don’t worry, the actual atmosphere in Gonpache is quite comfortable and filled with energetic and friendly vibes from the restaurant staff. I guarantee you will relax at the chic wooden table. I went there at lunchtime to check its menu and vibe, to see if it would be suitable for entertaining my guests who are coming from Canada on a long cruise trip. And I became confident that they would be delighted to have lunch on my tour course, since their request was “please take us to a traditional Izakaya-style restaurant.”
I suppose Gonpachi aims to feature a traditional Japanese festival, Matsuri, with wadaiko, Japanese drums, on stage, and staff wearing happi, a typical Matsuri outfit. One of the staff told me we would see a wadaiko performance in the evening, which is so energetic that all the guests can enjoy a cheerful but exciting experience.
I ordered the weekday lunch of the day, a set menu that consisted of an Una-Tama Don (rice bowl topped with grilled eel and egg), a fried eggplant marinated in a soy-sauce-based broth, and miso soup. And it was pretty yummy, and then I gained confidence that the restaurant could offer delicious meals to my guests.
I had a short discussion with a chief staff member about the lunch course offered on weekends. The special lunch course (3,800 yen) on the right looked attractive, but she informed me that it would take at least 90 minutes to complete. It sounds a bit too long for my guests, as they have only a one-day stay in Tokyo, so they need more time to explore the city. Eventually, I booked 2,500-yen courses for my 14 guests from Canada and requested the restaurant chef to complete the lunch course within 60 minutes.
On the day of my tour with 14 Canadian guests, all of them enjoyed Gonpachi’s meals and atmosphere, and after returning to their home, one of the guests gave me a message:
U2, Toru …Thank U for looking after us in Tokyo! It was such a memorable day for all of us! We still talk about that restaurant you took us to!
I am delighted to know that my arrangement worked well for them!!
Thank you for reading my blog post.
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