Aoyama Ariki

Minami Aoyama, Tokyo · 10 seats

A Stage for All Five Senses.

Where Japan's beauty speaks without words.

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Ariki —

The Beauty

That Is Here,

Now.

At Ariki, every evening is composed as a performance. Not only for the palate, but for everything you see, hear, inhale, and touch.

We do not explain beauty. We arrange the conditions for you to encounter it. Through cuisine, fragrance, music, light, and the careful movements of those who serve, Japan's aesthetic essence unfolds, wordlessly, over the course of an evening.

有 Ari — to be present.
To exist fully in this moment.

希 Ki — rarity.
The quality of something that will not come again.

Dishes created by Head Chef Kaito Shibata

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A Story on Every Plate.

A Story

on Every Plate.

A meal does not begin in the kitchen.
It begins at sea.
He goes to the water. He faces life directly. He touches the soil, and speaks with those who tend it.
Kaito Shibata listens for the voice of each ingredient — and finds, in that day's finest life, a single plate.
"Where nature's gifts and human hands meet — that is where cooking begins."

Aoyama Ariki  Dishes from the Chef's Choice Menu

HEAD CHEF

KAITO SHIBATA

A cook who goes to the water himself.

Born and raised in Tango on the northern coast of Kyoto Prefecture — a region where the sea is cold, the currents are strong, and the seafood is unlike anywhere else in Japan.
After opening Toto — his own sushi kappo restaurant — in 2018, and sharpening his eye at Ninomae under Hayato Haraguchi, he continues to deepen his pursuit of Japanese cuisine rooted in the sea.
He goes to sea himself. He speaks with the fishermen. He decides how each fish is handled in the minutes after it is caught.
“Listening to the voice of the ingredients is the first step in cooking.”
With this in mind, each dish is imbued with a quiet impact and a profound lingering impression to resonate with the five senses of our guests and weave a story unique to that night.
Enjoy the true essence of Ariki, delivered from behind the scenes by Kaito Shibata.

HEAD CHEF KAITO SHIBATA

CULINARY SUPERVISION

"HAYATO HARAGUCHI, HEAD CHEF AND OWNER OF NINOMAE, ASHIYA"

A highly skilled chef who began his training at the age of 16 and has accumulated extensive experience in the food and beverage industry.
He served as head chef for seven years at the renowned Japanese restaurant "Kokorone," where he mastered Japanese cuisine that utilizes seasonal ingredients from the sea, mountains, and rivers.
Afterward, he honed his skills at the Kyoto cuisine restaurant "Takagi," and in 2022, he opened "Ninomae" in Ashiya. It quickly gained attention as a restaurant that is extremely difficult to reserve.
His philosophy is to convey memories and landscapes through the five senses via his cuisine. In 2024, he received the Tabelog Award Bronze and was selected as one of the "Top 100 Japanese Restaurants in the West."

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Wines Selected by a Sommelier

Where Japanese Cuisine

Meets the Wine Glass.

Our sommelier brings extensive experience pairing wine with Japanese cuisine — from rare and celebrated bottles to distinctive and character-driven bottles seldom found on restaurant lists.

Each selection is guided by the balance of fragrance and flavour in that evening's dishes. The encounter between Japanese cuisine and wine holds surprises we are pleased to share.

RESERVE

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RESERVE
Aoyama Ariki  Interior

Cancellation Policy

To honour each reservation, we source our ingredients and arrange our team with your visit in mind. Accordingly, a cancellation policy applies. Please review the details before booking.

Cancellation Policy

DRESS CODE

At Ariki, we recommend smart casual attire.
Out of respect for the cuisine, we kindly ask you to refrain from wearing strong fragrances.
We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy a comfortable evening with us.

Aoyama Ariki Interior Space: Visual Elements (Objects)
Aoyama Ariki Interior Space: Visual Elements (Walls)
Aoyama Ariki Interior Space: Visual Elements (Ceilings)

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Aoyama Ariki A special stage (space)

A Stage Where

All Five Senses Converge

From the first taste of the cuisine to the final note of sound, every element of Ariki is designed to transport you beyond the everyday into something truly rare.

Vision

Designed to take advantage of the "ma" (space/interval) concept of Japanese architecture, the space features deliberately low ceilings and a stone-paved walkway before you are greeted by art by a world-renowned sculptor. Beyond that, a semi-circular counter unfolds. Traditional Japanese techniques are used throughout the space, such as the counter finished with lacquer and gold leaf, and the kumiko (traditional Japanese woodworking) wine cellar. Paying homage to the beauty of old Japanese architecture, the design reinterprets the mixed culture of that era in a modern way, and is titled "Neo-Tokyo."

Tactile Sense

It is said that tableware is like elegant clothing for a dish. Lacquerware, pottery, porcelain, and other materials beautifully express the changing seasons, nature, flowers, birds, and the moon, evoking a sense of Japanese identity. At Ariki, we carefully select and present a wide variety of tableware, from items that embody time-honored traditions to those that defy conventional culinary norms.

Sense of Smell

The scent of Ariki is the most direct path to human emotion and memory — lifting the spirit, easing the mind, and anchoring a moment in time.
At Ariki, we have crafted a signature fragrance centred on the rare essential oil of Koyamaki — Japanese umbrella pine — blended with essences of Hinoki cypress, Ho wood, and other select species. Composed never to compete with the cuisine, it fills the space with a quiet grandeur: fresh, clear, and composed. It is the first to greet you, and the last to bid you farewell.

Hearing

At Ariki, sound is shaped with the same intention as every other element of the experience. A dedicated acoustic team handles both the sonic design and the original compositions, allowing guests to savour their meal and wine within a carefully considered soundscape. The system also creates a natural sense of privacy between seats, so that each conversation at the counter remains its own.
Speakers by Void Acoustics, tuned by a dedicated sound designer. The music never intrudes — it lingers.

Vision
Tactile Sense
Sense of Smell
Hearing
Vision

Vision

Designed to take advantage of the "ma" (space/interval) concept of Japanese architecture, the space features deliberately low ceilings and a stone-paved walkway before you are greeted by art by a world-renowned sculptor. Beyond that, a semi-circular counter unfolds. Traditional Japanese techniques are used throughout the space, such as the counter finished with lacquer and gold leaf, and the kumiko (traditional Japanese woodworking) wine cellar. Paying homage to the beauty of old Japanese architecture, the design reinterprets the mixed culture of that era in a modern way, and is titled "Neo-Tokyo."

Tactile Sense

Tactile Sense

It is said that tableware is like elegant clothing for a dish. Lacquerware, pottery, porcelain, and other materials beautifully express the changing seasons, nature, flowers, birds, and the moon, evoking a sense of Japanese identity. At Ariki, we carefully select and present a wide variety of tableware, from items that embody time-honored traditions to those that defy conventional culinary norms.

Sense of Smell

Sense of Smell

The scent of Ariki is the most direct path to human emotion and memory — lifting the spirit, easing the mind, and anchoring a moment in time.
At Ariki, we have crafted a signature fragrance centred on the rare essential oil of Koyamaki — Japanese umbrella pine — blended with essences of Hinoki cypress, Ho wood, and other select species. Composed never to compete with the cuisine, it fills the space with a quiet grandeur: fresh, clear, and composed. It is the first to greet you, and the last to bid you farewell.

Hearing

Hearing

At Ariki, sound is shaped with the same intention as every other element of the experience. A dedicated acoustic team handles both the sonic design and the original compositions, allowing guests to savour their meal and wine within a carefully considered soundscape. The system also creates a natural sense of privacy between seats, so that each conversation at the counter remains its own.
Speakers by Void Acoustics, tuned by a dedicated sound designer. The music never intrudes — it lingers.

PLACE

AOYAMA ARIKI

  • LOCATION

    Aristo Minami Aoyama II 1F, 2-5-9 Minami Aoyama,
    Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

  • TEL

  • HOURS

    From 18:00 / Tuesday – Saturday

  • CLOSED

    Sunday and Monday

  • SEATS

    Counter, 10 seats

  • RESTAURANT INFORMATION

    • Dress up
    • No photography of people
  • SNS

RESERVE

To honour each reservation, we source our ingredients and arrange our team with your visit in mind. Accordingly, a cancellation policy applies. Please review the details before booking.