The city of Hakata was restored after being devastated by fires during the Sengoku period, thanks to the Taikomachi division carried out under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Throughout the Edo period, the area around Hakozaki-juku, a post town on the old Karatsu Kaido road, prospered with each town’s unique character, including the temple town of Hakozaki Shrine and its shrine family, the merchant town along the road, the fishing town by the sea, and the bentwood craftsmen’s town of Umade. Even today, around 70 Hakata machiya townhouses are dotted around the area, retaining strong traces and characteristics of each era, from Edo, Meiji, Taisho, and Showa.

Hakozaki Shrine is one of Japan’s three major Hachiman Shrines, along with Usa Shrine and Iwashimizu Shrine. There are various theories about its founding, but one theory is that it dates back to the mid-Heian period, when Emperor Daigo received a divine decree calling for the "enemy nations to surrender," after which the shrine was constructed. The shrine is also famous as a god of protection from evil and good fortune, due to the anecdote that it used a "divine wind" to repel the Mongol invasion. The shrine is bustling with many festivals and traditional events throughout the year, such as the beloved Tamatori Festival and Hojoe Festival, and the shrine gardens are decorated with flowers that change with the seasons.

The Umade area flourished as a town of craftsmen making cedar planks to be dedicated to the religious ceremonies of Hakozaki Shrine. The former Shibata family residence, which is the main store of Hakozaki Tororo and stands in one corner of the area, was designated a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in March 2023 for preserving the townhouse landscape and contributing to the historical landscape of the country. Built around 1915, in the early Taisho period, along the old Karatsu Kaido road that runs north and south in front of Hakozaki Shrine, it has a typical townhouse layout with three rooms, the "Omote-no-ma," "Naka-no-ma," and "Zashiki," lined up in a row.

Japanese cuisine has been attracting attention from both within Japan and overseas, having been registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. We believe that Japanese cuisine requires natural ingredients and traditional techniques that are uniquely Japanese.

Our restaurant uses wild yams grown in our own farms, seasonal vegetables and mushrooms grown by dedicated farmers who are particular about production methods, pork and beef from Kyushu that have been fattened with love, and wild boars that we hunt. We make our stock using traditional honkarebushi (dried dried bonito flakes), and for seasonings we use honjozo soy sauce, miso, and mirin that support Japan's fermentation culture.

Adding warmth to the dish is the pottery from Tatsumi Kiln, a Koishiwara ware manufacturer. The rustic pottery, which is made with flint and fired in a climbing kiln, shines with the skilled craftsmanship and proud spirit of our artisans.