Tourism Historical building in Hiroshima reopens as ryotei

Koishiki (恋しき), a historic building established in 1872, has been revitalized as a ryotei, a fancy Japanese-style restaurant. Initially a popular spot for literary figures and dignitaries, it hosted notable individuals like writers Ibuse Masuji (1898-1993), Yoshikawa Eiji (1892-1962), and former PM Inukai Tsuyoshi. Registered as a tangible cultural property, Koishiki includes a main structure from the Meiji Era and four annexes from the Taisho Era. All five structures were registered as tangible cultural properties in 2004. After the inn closed in 1990, Koishiki continued as a restaurant until 2019. Now, it has been given a new lease on life, preserving its historical significance while serving as a prestigious dining establishment.

The reservation-only ryotei is open from noon to 18:00 on Wednesdays, Sundays, and holidays—a full-course meal costs 13,000 JPY (USD 81), excluding tax and service charges.

The city government purchased the properties in 2020 to be viewed by the public or used as rental spaces. City officials had been exploring ways to revive the restaurant and inn as a base to reignite Fuchu's fortunes. They enlisted the help of Michio Kitaoka, 75, owner of Kitaoka, a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Hiroshima's Higashi Ward. He serves as head chef of So/Koishiki, which opened in April. "I want to bring out the charms of local ingredients through my interactions with producers," he said. Noriaki Miyamoto heads the Fuchu city government's economy and tourism department, said, "We want to come up with ways to encourage diners to visit other places across the city and the Bingo region after they visit the restaurant." He added that plans are afoot to use Koishiki as an accommodation facility.

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