Ra Ku Ra
A bonsai café finds room to grow in Nakameguro

Photos by Tsutomu Fujita

We believe effort should be rewarded, and that is how we came to discover Ra Ku Ra. While visiting the Asian Collection Gallery on a side street off Nakameguro shotengai, we noticed a group of workers trying to squeeze two large bonsai trees into the basement unit below. (Such trees, apparently, can be more than a meter tall and still qualify as bonsai, the bonju variety.) The workers maneuvered the carefully wrapped trees this way, then that way—trunk first then roots first—scratching their heads and all the while trying hard not to get soil onto the clinically clean concrete steps.

The bonsai are the centerpiece of this modern Japanese dining bar, and the labor of love of Taichi Sato, 40, a design professional and bonsai enthusiast. Looking for a distraction from his day job, Sato chose to combine his love of bonsai with his love of food and alcohol to create Ra Ku Ra. He looked at more than 100 properties across Tokyo before finding this Nakameguro location, and designed the interior and furniture himself to match the vibe of the local area.

The ground level entrance leads into a bonsai display area, where the trees (of conventional bonsai size) are on sale (¥2,500-¥18,000). From there, customers descend to the modern dining area, with black walls, wooden tabletops and a cozy alcove perfect for couples seeking discretion. The bonju trees have the best seats in the house, encircled by moss and pebbles, through which steppingstones lead to the kitchen and bathroom. The restaurant is closed once a week so that Sato can tend to his trees.

Ra Ku Ra’s food is delicate and precise, designed to complement its discerning drink list. There is a large selection of appetizers, including a plate of five assorted cheeses (¥1,200) to go with, for example, something from the small wine selection. But Sato’s true love is obviously nihonshu and shochu, and most of the menu pairs itself perfectly with items like famous Hakkaisan sake from Niigata (¥1,000), or Kiroku sweet potato shochu from Miyazaki (¥750).

Those were our drinks of choice, and we ordered our food accordingly, but not before two cold beers to accompany the innovative Japanese-style bagna cauda—traditionally an Italian dish of raw vegetables dipped in hot anchovy and garlic sauce, but here using miso instead of anchovy (¥880). Chunky, deep-fried scallops in crispy filo pastry in a tart brown sauce were both delicate and decadent (¥1,000). Melting maguro carpaccio surrounded by watercress and drizzled with a nutty olive-oil dressing (¥1,200) and slices of raw salmon dipped in vinaigrette both slipped down well with the sake.

The quality of the food is excellent, and the atmosphere is certainly distinctive. With little passing trade in this location, it was quiet for a Saturday night. However, our friends at the Asian Collection Gallery say they have become regular visitors to Ra Ku Ra, and report that business is picking up, especially at lunchtime. With such a unique concept superbly executed, we hope the efforts of Sato and his staff are rewarded, as they deserve to be. Because those trees are here to stay.

Court Modelia Nakameguro, 2-7-4 Kami-Meguro, Meguro-ku. Tel: 03-5879-7021. Open 11am-5pm, 6pm-midnight, closed Sun & hols. Menu in Japanese, reservations not required, smoking unrestricted.

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