A red shop curtain hangs at the doorway of a detached house. ‘AKAI’ indicates that a well related to Kūkai, founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, is on the property; owner-chef Hiroki Abe feels a connection, as the shop which his parents ran was named Idoya, ‘well shop’, and good water is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine. Abe incorporates Western ingredients while abiding by the tenets of kaiseki meals, anticipating an era of growing diversification of food. The chandelier in the Japanese-style room is a modern touch.