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Tokyo October: Japanese Dining with Art & Vegan Shojin Ryori Omakase in Omotesando

Update-Date: Nov 27, 2025

Author: Sydney Seekford

Categories: Kaiseki Shojin Ryori Sake Wine Japanese Cuisine Vegan/Vegetarian/Macrobiotic

Tokyo October: Japanese Dining with Art & Vegan Shojin Ryori Omakase in Omotesando

Tokyo October serves classical washoku, including vegan shojin ryori and kaiseki in a space that looks like a temple directed by French artistes. The art and architecture comes from renowned design houses, while the food is created by a chef with a deep passion for and study of washoku. He’s followed the traditional cuisine of Japan down to its roots for over thirty years, specializing in Japanese tea ceremony and gastronomy.

Sydney Seekford

Gourmet Creator

American living in Japan since 2022. Food writer and gourmet content creator for Japan’s most well known food media. Founder of menu translation and language support service MENUWIZ. Work history includes copywriting for booking platforms, video and media production and appearances, and consulting in F&B for household brands. Passionate about regional revitalization and slow tourism with a focus on local food culture.

High culture, deep cuisine

A selection of artwork by ANTE, which works closely with Bar Tokyo October and its stakeholders, is displayed just outside the entrance.

“東京十月” is tucked in a basement corner in the Omotesando-Aoyama neighborhood. On social media, the name is translated as “Tokyo October,” but on official store materials, it’s introduced with the French, “Octubre.”

If you know a little about this restaurant’s story, the French is an obvious fit. The choice goes back to the legacy of artistic visionary and fashion mogul, Takanao Muramatsu, best known for his work at H. P. France. After running the company for over 30 years, he moved on to new projects. These included the establishment and direction of Bar Tokyo October/Tokyo Octubre.

Tabletop karesansui (zen garden) decor

October is the most important month in Tokyo for art and culture events. It’s when fashion and art shows bring creatives from around the world to experience a global exchange of high culture. The restaurant is a space where these creative people gather year round; where it’s always October. Both patrons and artists, those who create and those who are curious, are welcomed to enjoy inspiring Japanese cuisine in a one of a kind venue.

Bar Tokyo October also pours a wide range of alcoholic beverages. These include the refined flavors of regional and luxury nihonshu (sake) and the proprietor’s favorite Argentinian wines. For a small fee, guests are welcome to bring in their own bottles. This policy reinforces the salon concept – bring your own art to share, whether its wisdom or wine.

Tokyo October

Open: [Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) *Since lunch opens irregularly, opening days will be announced on Instagram / [Weekdays, Saturday] Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY
Access: 4-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Omotesando Station, Exit B1. It's on the B1 floor of the Ohararyu Kaikan Building on Kotto-dori.
Address: B1F, Ohararyu Kaikan, 5-7-17, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo Map
More Details Reservation

Dining in an Art Gallery

Edison bulbs, alcoves filled with traditional pottery, and contemporary art combine to create a space filled with visual interest.

The dining room, which pairs old wood from Kyoto and washi accents with contemporary art and furniture, is as if French design had found its home in the walls of a temple. Traditional tatami rooms decorated with ikebana contrast the contemporary main room, where, upon entry, visitors are enveloped in the amniotic warmth of mahogany red walls and jet black tables. It’s like stepping right into the most opulent Japanese lacquerware.

Vintage shelving displaying the serving ware custom made for Bar Tokyo October. Many of the pieces are for sale.

Art, in its many forms, is especially important to the house culture of Bar Tokyo October. Capitalizing on proprietor Muramatsu’s far-reaching connections, the plates and bowls are specially provided by artisan house Astier de Villatte, of Paris. Bar Tokyo October’s ceramics were just for the restaurant, including a sake tokkuri served with the store’s signature banshaku (evening tipple) set, only available here.

Wooden statue of a woman by a Japanese artist “Konnogen”

The wooden sculpture in the corner is also by a French artist. This striking figure was chosen for its similarity to Buddhist imagery, a nod to the restaurant’s interior design, and for its thought-provoking form.

In a glowing- alcove on the far wall, an impressive sound system is flanked by speakers selected for their excellent Jazz sound quality. Its gold backlight draws the eye towards the impressive tabletop karesansui piece, a rock-garden-like art installation that sits temporarily in place of a water feature.

The retro sound-system responsible for Bar Tokyo October’s refined soundscape

Originally, the only soundscape was that of flowing water, complementing the natural flow of conversation. As a way to tie more into one harmonious space, a monthly-changing selection of jazz tunes was added and the karesansui was installed. Now, guests enjoy the balance of visual beauty, music, and conversation, just like in Paris’ salons.

One of the important aspects of the space is to exist as a place where people can come to “calm their noisy minds.” The lighting, water, and soundscape all work together to make that possible. Tokyo October’s course-meal only menu does guests a favor by giving them one less decision to make in their day. Diners only need to select their course preference (gluten free, shojin ryouri (vegan), or one of several levels of kaiseki) and sit back to enjoy as plate after delicate plate arrives.

Chef

Japanese culinary expert and practiced sado master, Chef Fuyuno
Chef Fuyuno is nonchalant and disarming, for someone cooking with his pedigree. When he talks about food, his eyes light up. He explains that today’s understanding of kaiseki is rooted in chakaiseki meals served before a tea ceremony. Actually only a fairly recent style, kaiseki was likely created within the last two hundred years. He says its origins go even further back, to the formal courses served to daimyo lords and temple rituals.

On top of pursuing classical Japanese cuisine, Chef Fuyuno studied sado, the art of tea ceremony, for 25 years. He was even one of a few masters to be invited to host official tea ceremonies at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. However, his intense study is not because of a distinct passion in the way of tea, but to become a better chef by understanding the base of Japanese gastronomy. Just as in Bar Tokyo October and the old way of samurai, a balance between emotional art and thoughtful precision come together in his practice. Although Chef Fuyuno doesn’t boast about his skills, his ability to select ingredients and combine them into something exciting, even while working under restraints, is impressive.

A selection of vegan delicacies to evoke the season, including yuba, yellow carrot, and hozuki (lantern fruit)

He comments that one of the most interesting things about Tokyo October isn’t that they offer a vegan menu, but that it doesn’t specialize in vegan food. His years of experience studying the fine points of various Japanese cooking techniques allows him to create satisfying vegan menu items for one guest while providing a standard kaiseki array for the next. Although the number of stores that handle vegan and gluten-free diet needs are increasing, he mentions that they tend to specialize, making it less comfortable for groups with many philosophies to dine together.

The Food

Owan (one of the soup dishes of kaiseki) served in elegant lacquerware

Chef Fuyuno is perfectly happy to adjust his menu options for international guests and offers vegan (shojin ryouri) and gluten free courses as standard. The vegan course pulls dishes from a repertoire of Buddhist temple cuisine, but with the influence of globally-minded Muramatsu-san, it’s only natural that the menu strikes a balance between Japanese tradition and contemporary needs.

Goma-tofu (sesame-based tofu) with tamari, a Tokyo-raised burdock round, and various yakumi

Many of the vegetables featured in Tokyo October’s shojin ryouri vegan course are heirloom varieties grown right in Tokyo. Nemuro gobo (burdock), Shinagawa kabu (turnip), and Senju daikon radish have been cultivated locally since the Edo era (1603-1868), earning the indication, “Edo-yasai.” Even outside of these local heirloom vegetables, Chef Fuyuno sources almost all the produce on the menu from within Tokyo’s boundaries, and even the few that aren’t mostly come from within Kanto. He prioritizes organic farms and holds a deep respect for the origins of each dish.

Up close of the vegan owan, inspired by a traditional Shojin ryori dish from Shizuoka prefecture

In particular, the owan stands out for its clever technique. Before even taking a sip, a sweet aroma, like candied nuts or fruits, wafts up from the bowl. It’s entirely thanks to complex sugars locked in the root vegetables and mushrooms that have simmered in otherwise simple kombu broth. There’s no salt added, Chef Fuyuno assures us just before cracking dried sansho over the floating islands of mushroom and burdock, “There’s no salt because that would overpower it. It would just be salty. But you still need a kick, so I top it with sansho.” The sansho adds a floral citrusyness that allows the vegetables’ flavor to bloom. This delicate method feels especially attuned to the art of Shojin ryori, which, in addition to being vegan, also doesn’t allow for intense flavorings.

Udon noodles, selected for their compatibility with vegan dashi

Chef Fuyuno carries the same philosophy forward in the “shime” , a term used for the carb served to end a traditional Japanese meal. Normally at a kaiseki, guests expect rice. But here, udon creates textural interest while being a perfect match for the subtle kombu and mushroom dashi.

The main dish, large sections of eggplant served simmered in a western teriyaki-esque soy sauce based broth and served with okra, bell peppers, and chestnuts.

Not every element is restrained, however. The namasu packs a powerful punch of vinegar that makes the daikon even more refreshing. The main dish, featuring an intense soy sauce saute applied to creamy-tender eggplants, will kick some international guests back to the nostalgia of bottled teriyaki sauce. It’s a flavor that’s immediately recognizable as Japanese, despite having been commercialized for daily use overseas. Like the French infatuation with Ukiyo-e and subsequent Japonisme movement, this dish expresses how people across the globe adapt and accept nuances into their own palate.

Standard dishes from the vegan course menu at Bar Tokyo October, including the specially designed chopstick sleeve.

In the past, at the salons of an older Paris, bringing together groups of people with different philosophies, education, and life styles was the most essential element. While it takes elements from the past and filters them through decades of multidisciplinary experience, Bar Tokyo October is a restaurant that exists perfectly in the current moment. Its philosophy makes the restaurant a place where creatives and lovers of the arts and food can exchange passions and ideas. Within this bar and restaurant, the people involved create a new experience that you can’t help but want to be a regular part of. As Bar Tokyo October moves towards the future, it looks to deepen its connection to the role of the salon, starting with food and extending to art and culture.

Summary and Future

Dining alongside artwork makes the space come alive

Since the 80’s, Mr. Muramatsu, the benefactor behind Tokyo October’s unique placing, has been integral to the development of contemporary design culture in Tokyo. His passion for global culture extends to music, fashion, and fine art. At Bar Tokyo October, his vision is married to traditional Japanese cuisine. It’s the picture of a modern salon, combining culture, tradition and people, in a venue that couldn’t exist anywhere but Omotesando.

In the next year, the group plans to incorporate even more in the space, displaying pieces from a collection of Taisho-era art across the walls. This body of work, including examples of Japonisme, the rise of Western culture in Japanese graphic art, and more, has been featured in Tokyo’s well respected art museums and will find a new home here, where European aesthetics and Japanese cuisine mingle.

This is truly a one of a kind space where diners can enjoy the intersection of many pieces of art and culture over a traditional meal. Today, and tomorrow, Tokyo October promises to be a valuable part of Tokyo’s artistic and gourmet community. While visiting Tokyo, wander off the straight and narrow and visit this “salon” for an unforgettable experience that goes beyond just delicious.

Tokyo October

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.

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