On Nalbandyan street near Republic Square, a red statue of an East Asian man bows with his hand over his heart and a startlingly bright smile, inviting passersby to enter and be transported to Japan. This is the mission of 41-year-old Hiroki Tachiiri, Tokyooo’s restaurant founder.
After spending his whole life in Tokyo, Japan Tachiiri moved to Australia to pursue GIS studies. Still, Australia was not the place for Tachiiri to settle. And so in 2017, he ended up moving to Yerevan.
Tachiiri’s first encounter with Armenia was in 2009 when the country gradually started experiencing cultural and ethnic diversity. “Armenians were not used to seeing Asians on the street, so everybody was, you know, staring at me, which was very awkward,” Tachiiri said.
Tachiiri’s unique story began when his plane first touched down in Yerevan. “When I came here on the first day…an Armenian guy I met for the first time came to pick me up in the airport. His car engine didn’t work. So, for the first time, in my life, I pushed a car to start the engine,” Tachiiri recalled. Despite this rocky start, he visited Armenia countless times after.
As an entrepreneur, Tachiiri is constantly on the lookout for innovative ideas. He met a Japanese cook in 2022, and their conversations ignited the sparks for the idea of opening an authentic Japanese restaurant in Armenia. Afterward, he partnered with a local, and just like that, he embarked on another journey.
In a land of people who love to wine and dine, standing out is a must for any successful
restaurant. For Tokyooo, that is the creation of the most authentic Japanese corner in the country. The first step was to assemble a fusion of Japanese and Armenian staff. Tachiiri was in charge of bringing the Japanese workers to Armenia mainly through his connections.
All female workers wear traditional Yukata dresses. The bright colors, calming Japanese music in the background and the smell of the food, is all that one needs to teleport from Yerevan to Tokyo.
Despite the cozy atmosphere, one of the main priorities of the restaurant is providing fresh and quality meals. Fish are a key part of Japanese food, and the only live fish the restaurant can get is salmon. Instead, they try to find alternatives such as buying frozen fish from suppliers and put extra effort into using techniques that keep the fish as fresh as possible. The considerable amount of effort poured into the quality of food in Tokyooo seems to pay off.
After a recent visit to Tokyooo, AUA student Shagane Mkhoyan, Tokyooo’s customer said, “I think this was my first time trying authentic Japanese food. I have tried some before, but it was noticeable that it was not even close to the real cuisine. It actually looked and tasted amazing. My ramen was delicious.”
“For us it is important to keep the authenticity,” said Shushanik Tovmasyan, Tokyooo’s manager.
The restaurant ranks in the top 10% on TripAdvisor and also got the Travelers Choice award for 2024. This is without even mentioning the fact that the Japanese ambassador to Armenia often dines at Tokyooo.
Tachiiri looks forward to expanding the restaurant locally within Yerevan once the new staff is onboard. As for expanding internationally, he noted that expansion depends on the partners as much as the current team. As of now, there are no concrete plans but he is open to where this odyssey will lead him next.
