A new Japanese restaurant, Takarazuka Shimakusu (宝塚 しま楠), opens on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Takarazuka, Hyogo. The restaurant is a new venture by Shimaya Co., Ltd. (株式会社島家), a company that has operated in Takarazuka since its founding as a ryokan in the second year of the Taisho era (1913). The new establishment aims to redefine the Japanese dining experience by combining the technical mastery of a "Contemporary Master Craftsman" (現代の名工) with the creative sensibility of a young head chef.
Concept: "Walking the Orthodox Path, Lightly"
Shimakusu's concept centers on staying true to the foundations of Japanese cuisine — meticulous preparation, seasonal ingredients, and time-honored technique — while lowering the sense of formality that can often feel like a barrier to enjoying traditional Japanese food.
The restaurant aims to deliver a dining experience that surprises and delights the senses, where guests can relax and let themselves be carried along by the pleasure of each dish, without feeling the need to be on their best behavior. The approach is described as "creating the value of Japanese cuisine, lightly."
A Homecoming for Takarazuka
Behind the opening is a desire to give back to the city of Takarazuka. Shimaya's roots in the city run deep — it was founded there over a century ago, and since 1993 has continued serving traditional cuisine at the Takarazuka Washington Hotel, supported by locals over the generations.
The goal for Shimakusu is to become a destination restaurant — one that draws visitors from further afield, generates foot traffic for the city, and contributes to improved working conditions and new employment opportunities in the culinary world. The vision is for Shimakusu to become a new source of pride and energy for Takarazuka.
Head Chef: Ryoma Kusumoto
Shimakusu is helmed by head chef Ryoma Kusumoto (楠本竜万). Originally from Kagawa Prefecture, Kusumoto trained under Kenji Ueno — a leading figure in the Japanese culinary world and recipient of the "Contemporary Master Craftsman" award — and served as head chef at the long-established Shimaya restaurant.
Kusumoto describes his cooking as unassuming but deeply grounded in the "invisible craft" that defines Japanese cuisine: precise preparation techniques, adjusting each cooking vessel at every stage, and layering flavors step by step. He is a past winner of the Osaka Prefectural Governor's Award at the Japanese Cuisine Contest.
At Shimakusu, Kusumoto brings this careful, uncompromising approach to the kitchen while opening it up to guests via a counter seat setup — creating an experience where diners can watch the cooking process up close, enjoy conversation with the chef, and take their time over a meal.
Three Commitments That Define Shimakusu
1. Cuisine: Seasonal and Orthodox
The restaurant's signature dish is the seasonal appetizer (季節の前菜), which opens each course. Carefully selected peak-season ingredients are prepared using orthodox techniques — drawing on the power of dashi broth and fermentation — and arranged with deliberate attention to height, depth, and negative space to express the changing seasons within a single plate.
2. Space and Tableware: Traditional Beauty Meets Modern Design
The interior is designed around the theme of "comfort and elegance." Beyond an arched corridor, guests arrive at a wooden counter overlooking the kitchen. The back wall features bengara (弁柄), a traditional pigment dating to the Edo period, alongside glass lighting decorated with gold and silver wave patterns. The interplay of traditional color and soft light creates a quietly celebratory atmosphere.
All tableware is Arita ware, hand-painted by artisans personally selected by the head chef. The bespoke Sometsuke Fukurokuju Yunomi (染付福禄寿湯呑) tea bowls are individually wheel-thrown and hand-painted with the motifs of Fuku (happiness), Roku (prosperity), and Ju (longevity) — an expression of goodwill toward every guest.
3. Sake Pairing: Deepening the Meal
A sommelier is on hand to recommend drink pairings across sake, wine, shochu, and other genres to complement each dish. The sake selection includes sought-after labels such as Aramasa No.6 S-type and Nabeshima made from the rare Aizan rice variety.
Menu
Shimakusu Course — ¥19,800 (tax included)
The head chef's recommended course, featuring 16 dishes including the signature seasonal appetizer and a three-tier sashimi presentation.
Hatsune Course — ¥12,100 (tax included)
A commemorative opening course featuring 13 carefully selected dishes, offered at a special celebratory price.
Premium Matsusaka Beef Shabu-Shabu — ¥17,000 (tax included)
A course with shabu-shabu, small side dishes, Inaniwa udon, and dessert. Only cuts with an ideal balance of marbling and lean meat are used. Served with a house-made ponzu (a blend of Rishiri and ma-kombu dashi with yuzu vinegar) and a rich sesame sauce prepared with roasted sesame, shrimp miso, and fermented tofu.
A5 Kuroge Wagyu Shabu-Shabu — ¥12,000 (tax included)
A course with shabu-shabu, small side dishes, Inaniwa udon, and dessert.
Pairing Course
- 80ml per serving: ¥9,900 (tax included)
- 40ml per serving: ¥6,600 (tax included)
Seven drink pairings including sake and wine.
All courses require reservations by the previous day. The shabu-shabu courses are available in the private room only and are scheduled to begin around May 21 (Thursday).
Restaurant Information
Name: Takarazuka Shimakusu (宝塚 しま楠)
Address: 2-10 Mukogawa-cho, Takarazuka, Hyogo (7-minute walk from Hankyu Takarazuka Minami-guchi Station)
Phone: 0797-33-9987
Hours: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Closed: Mondays and Wednesdays
Capacity: 14 seats (8 counter seats + 1 private room)
Website: https://shimakusu.com/
Reservations: Available online via TableCheck or by phone
