After an incredible journey, it is with heartfelt emotion that we announce
the closing of Kawabun NYC.
To our cherished guests—thank you for trusting us with your celebrations and moments of joy.
To our dedicated team members—your passion and hard work brought our vision to life.
To our loyal vendors and partners—your collaboration was the backbone of our craft.
Kawabun is a long-established restaurant dating from the first half of the 17th century. Its history begins after the building of Nagoya Castle. The founder of the Kawachiya Bunzaemon line was among those moved from Kiyosu to the new city of Nagoya, with its checkerboard layout, in the transfer of the local urban center. He first opened a fishmonger’s called Kawachiya. Then, after the fish he presented in tribute to the Owari House of Tokugawa won high praise, he became a caterer and restaurateur. In the Edo period, the street called Uonotana-dori was lined with four eating establishments: Onaya (established by Onaya Niemon), Kinnao (established by Ohmiya Naokichi), Ohmata (established by Ohno Mataemon), and Kawabun. These came to be known in the neighborhood as The Four Eaves of Uonotana.
About the 1820s, geisha began to entertain at the drinking parties held at ryotei (restaurants), and in 1873 a union of geisha called “Seieiren” was born in Kami Choja-machi. Kawabun became the establishment where Nagoya’s best geisha appeared and was thereafter sometimes called “Kawabun, place of gei (art)”.
As the foremost guest house in central Japan from the Meiji period on, it received such guests as prime ministers Hirobumi Ito, Yoshida Shigeru, and Tanaka Kakuei, former French president Mitterrand, and other prestigious visitors from Japan and abroad. It continues to be loved by many well-known figures.
That which changes gradually with the background of the times in the history of 400 years is also a trajectory in which successive masters continue to challenge and change in order to pass on culture.
Yoshitaka Ito | Executive Chef
Visit our original location in Japan – Kawabun Ryotei website:
https://www.thekawabunnagoya.com/en/kawabun/
Our restaurant can accommodate private and semi-private events with up to 70 guests. We have a variety of menus and booking formats available to meet the needs of any occasion. Reach out here to find options for your perfect special event including business meetings, celebrations, holiday reunions and more.
Kawabun NYC Hours
TUESDAY–SATURDAY: Lunch 11:30 AM – 3 PM, Dinner 5 PM – 10 PM
Enjoy a curated seasonal menu at our chef’s counter that showcases a monthly selection of ingredients served in the Kaiseki tradition.Chef Yoshitaka Ito and his team work diligently to prepare each course to showcase an experience like no other in NYC
Lunch Kaiseki $120 per person
Seating 12:30 PM
Dinner Kaiseki $250 per person
Seatings 5:30 PM & 8:30 PM