The tunnel-shaped entrance to Hikari Yakitori Bar in Valencia, Spain is a portal that transports diners to Tokyo’s streets. After the success of their sushi bar Nozomi, founders José Miguel and Nuria, along with their protégé Clara, delve deeper into their passion for Japanese food with this yakitori restaurant.
Designed by Masquespacio, the interior takes inspiration from neighborhoods Kabukicho, Omoide Yokocho and Hajimeya, where most of the yakitori bars are found. “We went to the most authentic neighborhoods in Tokyo and reinvented their visual pollution,” Masquespacio’s website says about the project. Concrete, serrated metal and rusty finishes create a monochrome color scheme, while wooden tables and counter tops add a cozy touch.
Lighting throughout the restaurant is crucial in perfecting the feel of an alley, conveying the chaos and liveliness of the street despite the visual simplicity and clean lines of the interior structures. Classic lanterns cast a shadowy glow throughout, while a series of two-dimensional light sculptures suspended from the ceiling are visual queues for lighted billboards.
More images on the Hakari Yakitori bar here.
