HAPPO-EN'S Sense of Beauty

Former Lords

In the early Edo period, the site where HAPPO-EN now stands was the residence of Okubo Hikozaemon, a close aide to the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and known as the nation's greatest advisor. After Hikozaemon's death, who chose this place as his final residence, the property passed through the Meiji Restoration and was passed on to businessman Shibusawa Kisaku (1838-1912) at the end of the Meiji period. At the time, it was maintained as a plum orchard, and even today, HAPPO-EN. "I was attracted to that one pine tree," Kuhara is said to have said when explaining why he chose this location. "That pine tree" is an over 400-year-old pine tree that was sent by the third shogun, Iemitsu, to the sick Hikozaemon as a sympathy gift and was later planted on the grounds. Shortly after the war, the pine tree decayed, but a Sanshuyu tree that is said to have been Hikozaemon's bonsai still remains in the garden.

The garden concept of "arranging nature"

Dawn of HAPPO-EN

In 1950, the postwar chaos was slowly beginning to calm down. At the time, Satoshi Hase, who ran traditional Japanese restaurants in Ginza and the surrounding area and would later go on to become the founder of HAPPO-EN, was approached through an acquaintance about renting part of Kuhara's garden and the mansion and co-running a restaurant. At first, Satoshi declined, but after visiting the garden, his views completely changed. At the time, there was concern that Japan's traditions and beauty might be eradicated due to the defeat in the war and the subsequent government rule. He was deeply moved and delighted to see that the venerable Japanese garden had been preserved with almost no war damage.

Japanese cuisine is called the art of taste because it pays attention to the variation and uniformity of colors and shapes, and values the "seasons." And the true pleasure of cooking is even greater when it is served in an appropriate environment. Thinking this, Toshiji agreed to manage the restaurant after initially declining. A meeting was arranged for Kuhara to hear his management policy. Kuhara was reluctant to lend his beloved garden, but Toshiji said, "Tokyo should be the face of Japan. Even if we are allowed to use this garden, I don't want it to be just a place to serve food and alcohol. I want it to be a place to convey Japanese culture to overseas customers, and a spiritual home for Japanese people." Hearing this, Kuhara agreed to use part of the mansion and garden. He named it "HAPPO-EN."

Kuhara explains the reason for the name:
1. Hase Kanko (a company run by founder Satoshi Hase) opens all its stores on the eighth day of the month.
2. This garden is beautiful from all sides, both front and back.
3. "Happo, Happo" rhymes very well
Fourth, En is manly and connected.
He said he explained,

Japanese traditions in the heart of Tokyo

HAPPO-EN is a traditional Japanese restaurant that opened in Shirokanedai, Tokyo. Although the postwar reconstruction was progressing steadily and the lives of ordinary people were beginning to settle down, it was still not an era when families could casually go out to eat. The founder, Satoshi Hase, wanted HAPPO-EN to be a place where a wide range of ordinary families, including young people and women, could casually come, rather than just a social gathering place for the upper class and certain industry people. With this in mind, he racked his brains and came up with various measures.

One of these is a poster that was created shortly after the park opened and was displayed inside trains on Tokyo's Yamanote Line and at stations such as Meguro, Gotanda, and Shinagawa.

One step and you'll forget the heat
A true oasis in Tokyo!
Please use it for large and small banquets and garden parties.

The poster caught people's attention, and the number of people passing through the gates of HAPPO-EN steadily increased. The opportunity to stroll through the garden admiring the beautiful greenery of the trees and the carp in the pond, and enjoy a meal while feeling the cool breeze, became popular. From then on, HAPPO-EN also focused on seasonal events. For example, in May, carp streamers are set up in the garden with fresh greenery, and irises are displayed on the eaves of the buildings. Customers are served iris sake and rice dumplings, creating a nostalgic festival atmosphere. Satoshi's desire to "recreate Japanese traditions in the heart of Tokyo" gradually came to fruition.

Bringing the taste of Japan to the world

The restaurant, which was started in a new location on the former estate of Fusanosuke Kuhara, has changed its name to Kochuan and continues to operate in the garden to this day. All private rooms have a view of the garden, which was arranged by Kuhara and which founder Satoshi Hase fell in love with. The restaurant serves Japanese cuisine that can only be found here, using seasonal ingredients carefully selected from all over Japan and prepared in the way that the chef believes is most suitable. Kochuan, where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine in a unique space, has been patronized by customers from both Japan and abroad for a long time. We hope to be a place where overseas customers can learn about Japanese culture and a spiritual home for Japanese customers. We have inherited the founder's vision and are pursuing diverse forms of food as a place where many people can experience Japanese ingredients and the traditional techniques of our craftsmen.

To be a company that can entertain customers on their special days

In the 1950s, Japan was in the midst of a period of rapid economic growth, and the lives of people who had been forced to live frugally for some time after the war underwent a major change. Attitudes towards "marriage" were also one of the major changes seen during this period. In April 1960, HAPPO-EN constructed the "HAPPO-EN Western-style Building," a three-story building with one basement floor and equipped with a magnificent banquet hall and wedding hall. This marked the start of the company's foray into the bridal business, a tradition that continues to this day. From a company that provided hospitality during mealtimes, the company transformed into a company that provided hospitality on the most important day of one's life. This expansion of the business led to the refinement of the "spirit of hospitality" HAPPO-EN still cherishes today, as well as its planning and production capabilities.

From HAPPO-EN for weddings to HAPPO-EN for "total production"

HAPPO-EN has produced many weddings for many customers. It seems that the image of a "bridal company" has taken root. However, HAPPO-EN is now not only involved in weddings and food, but also in a wide range of other areas, such as producing business events and promoting digital transformation. The planning and producing skills cultivated through weddings can be used more widely for the benefit of society. HAPPO-EN is now a "general production company" that goes beyond existing frameworks and is focusing on producing local governments and producing tourism. By working with local governments to develop and propose ingredients and dishes from various regions, Happo-en creates exchanges between people, people and regions, and urban and rural areas. And as a result of these encounters, more people are visiting rural areas. Cultural exchanges are born through HAPPO-EN, and new values that have never been seen before are created. From now on, HAPPO-EN will be a gateway to Japanese culture and a "center for the creation of cultural exchange" that disseminates the condensed aesthetic sense of Japan. By working with local governments and artisans who preserve traditions, we will deliver "beautiful Japan" to both domestic and international audiences.

HAPPO-EN Hospitality

What is the hospitality of HAPPO-EN? First, let us introduce a symbolic episode.

"When I had just joined HAPPO-EN, I was in training to greet customers at the entrance. I received about three carry-on bags that had been left in the cloakroom, and there was a customer, a man and a woman, who were leaving. They had been married at our garden the day before, and had come to pick up their luggage. Just then, a senior employee passed by and said, "May I help you?" Of course, I answered, "Yes." As I was about to go to meet the customer, he asked me, "What do you think I should do?" I replied, "Yes. I'll carry your luggage and see you off to the main gate." He then asked, "Is that the maximum price HAPPO-EN can offer?" I then replied, "I'll carry it up the hill." He then asked, "Is that really the maximum price?" I thought for a while and answered, "I'll accompany you to the ticket gate at Shirokanedai Station and tell you, 'Congratulations on your wedding. I'm sorry I can only see you off this far, but I hope you have a wonderful day today.'" My senior sent me off by saying, "That's right. That's HAPPO-EN." This incident, which happened in my first year at the company, still comes back to me every time I interact with a customer.

There is no right answer when it comes to hospitality. Preparing a detailed manual and following it may not necessarily be the best way to provide hospitality to customers. That is why all staff at HAPPO-EN think about the best they can do for the customer in front of them, at that moment, on that spot. For example, they will never say "we can't do that" to a request made by a customer. They will thoroughly consider how they can make it happen and whether there are any alternatives that can make their image come true, and promise to provide an experience that exceeds the customer's imagination.

Food hospitality

In Japan, weddings were originally held at home. On the day of the wedding, the front door would be watered, seasonal flowers would be displayed, and the guests would be treated to seasonal ingredients and the family's signature dishes, taking into consideration the guests. Today, most weddings are not held at home, but in hotels, restaurants, and wedding halls. That's why we believe our job is to act as the couple and their families and prepare food that conveys their feelings of hospitality.

At the reception, everyone enjoyed the flavors of their hometown using rice and vegetables grown by their grandparents. The bride recreated the pumpkin gratin that she had first made for the groom, and served it to the groom along with an anecdote about how impressed he was with how delicious it was, which was met with warm applause at the reception.

At HAPPO-EN, we keep the menus for these wedding receptions as a "Wedding Menu" along with the names of the bride and groom. We hope that when they return for wedding anniversaries or family anniversaries many years or decades later, they will be able to enjoy the menu that evokes their memories. HAPPO-EN will continue to be a "hometown of the heart" through food, so that everyone can return to it forever.