Akira At Japan House; where do I start" The restaurant is incredible, truly a work of art in itself and took me right back to my trip to Tokyo a few years ago. Japan House is a relatively new addition to Kensington having opened just last year. Located in a former Art Deco building on High Street Kensington the building curates the best of Japan and is a project launched by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs with two other Japan Houses open globally, one in São Paulo and one in Los Angeles. The London Japan House is a minimalist dream, designed by Katayama Masamichi, who created Uniqlo?s flagship store in Oxford Street.

On the ground floor is a coffee bar serving Nel Drip Japanese coffee and a beautiful shop containing artisanal and hand crafted Japanese products for sale. Moving up to the first floor is the restaurant Akira, the eponymous restaurant from acclaimed Executive Chef Shimizu Akira (of Engawa) is founded on the trinity of Japanese cooking principles; food, tableware and presentation. Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Kensington

Background & Concept
Dining at Akira is an immersive Japanese experience and starts the minute you are glided through the bar to the restaurant, and greeted to a loud cheer of ?Irrashaimase!? from the chefs in the kitchen which means ?come in, welcome? in Japanese.

The restaurant has a clean and contemporary feel to it, but kept warm by the use of beautiful wooded furniture from woodworker George Nakashima. T...