Anyone who has experienced the dimensions of Tokyo knows that hidden gems can be found in every nook and cranny of what’s known as the planet’s biggest metropolitan area. The modest Beaver restaurant in Fujisawa, a town on the southern fringes of this sprawling urban area, bordering the ocean and situated right next to the better known resort of Kamakura, is a popular hangout for local dwellers with a penchant for fried snacks. Interestingly, when it was founded in 1977, the restaurant started out as a takeaway, selling yakisoba and okonomiyaki, but later tweaked the format on request of its customers. The original location had to be abandoned due to the ageing conditions of the building, and as of late, Beaver occupies a much larger ground floor unit of a modern low-rise structure opposite Zengyo Station in the middle of town. Tetsuya Tashiro, the eatery’s new owner, tapped acclaimed Tokyo-based architecture and design practice MOMENT to create not only a fitting interior design, but do a full overhaul, providing a new logo, restaurants menu board graphics, and a staff uniform design.
Being generally associated to frying oil, yellow has been picked as the restaurant’s signature colour, and it shows from afar as the establishment features window glass in that striking hue. Indoors, the vibe is no different. Both the flooring and walls are covered in a high-quality yellow paint from Italy, while the exposed ceiling sees steel beams in a matching hue and intertwined with utility pipes. The fryer is strategically positioned near the seating area, and although an excellent exhaust air system is installed, it manages to disperse a salivating whiff that boosts the craving. The cooking area has been opened up, connecting with the seating area for a unified and coherent look. The former shop featured handwritten menus, but at the new Beaver they’re cheekily printed on stainless trays used originally for deep frying. Mind you, Tashiro also runs Kiju, a local social welfare association, and a dedicated space within the restaurant has been created where disabled people can work. Mind you, the overall design has taken this aspect into account to avoid any hindrances. Beaver seats a total of ten people at a time and its menu primarily lists a wide variety of fried chicken and other fried snacks.
Beaver
7-5-2 Zengyo
Fujisawa 251-0871
Telephone: +81 466 821010
Publishers Note
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