Akasaka Tantei, the first Okinawan restaurant to have been awarded a star in the Michelin Guide, in 2012, is frequented by politicians, businesspeople and celebrities seeking to enjoy authentic Okinawan cuisine in the middle of Tokyo.
However, after missing out on a Michelin star in the 2019 edition following seven consecutive years of inclusion, the restaurant faced the prospect of closing down in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We struggled desperately in the midst of our crisis and realized something,” said Masayuki Matsuzawa, head of the restaurant’s operator, in recalling how it made a V-shaped recovery after the crisis.