OUR STORY

Japan Centre Ichiba is the first joint venture between the Japan Centre Group (the team behind iconic brands Japan Centre and Shoryu Ramen) and Cool Japan Fund, a public-private fund, part owned by the Japanese government which helps support businesses to promote Japanese products, food and culture overseas. The fund’s partnerships with local and artisan suppliers across Japan will allow Japan Centre Ichiba to offer authentic products and rare regional produce from some of the best producers and farmers exclusively to the UK. Alongside partners, Kikkoman and Gekkeikan, well known Japanese brands of soy sauce and sake, Japan Centre Ichiba will be a destination where you can truly taste Japan.

WHO WE ARE

Japan Centre Ichiba aims to bring the best artisanal food, drink, homewares and gifts from Japan to London. Our partnership with Cool Japan Fund means Japan Centre Ichiba showcases exclusive products from local and artisan suppliers from all over Japan. Our theatrical kitchens dotted around Japan Centre Ichiba allow you to peek behind the scenes and see how our authentic Japanese food is created. You can also learn more at our cooking demonstrations and workshops, events, regional food and drink festivals and sake tasting seminars.

TAK TOKUMINE’S STORY

Tak Tokumine founded Japan Centre Group in 1976 in London with a desire to bring the best authentic food, drinks, books and homewares from Japan to the UK. Today Japan Centre Group has the much beloved Japan Centre, with an online shop, Shoryu Ramen a 16 branch strong ramen restaurant.

PARTNERS

We are proud to have partnered with the very best Japanese and English companies to create Japan Centre Ichiba, including Cool Japan Fund, Kikkoman, Gekkeikan and Cool Japan Fund was founded in 2013 with the aim of supporting and promoting the development of demand overseas for excellent Japanese products and service. Kikkoman is known and loved all over the world for it’s high quality sauces, in particular their naturally brewed soy sauce. Gekkeikan is one of Japan’s oldest and most respected sake breweries and the chosen sake of the Japanese Imperial Family.