New wave of Japanese trade in Mexico

In the Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City, a steady stream of customers filled the small cafe Raku, which means "joy" in Japanese. They were drawn to coffee. This place is part of the new wave of Japanese trade in Mexico.

The fine green Kyoto powder is measured, mixed with hot water and, with a brush made from a single piece of bamboo, agitated exactly 30 times. It turns out to be a mossy color that was earthy and bitter, and for a second it gives you a taste of Japan, this is just one of the many names that have appeared from Japanese trade in Mexico.

Although sushi restaurants have established themselves in the cosmopolitan capital of Mexico, they are part of the Japanese trade in Mexico that has sprung up in recent years, from fashion labels and boutiques to a new hotel, along with Japanese-influenced eating and drinking venues.

According to Max St. Romain, head of the popular Gastronauta DF Instagram account, the dichotomy between the two destinations has helped spark this adoration for all things Japanese: food and more. “Many of us Mexicans admire Japanese culture because it is the opposite of who we are. It has elegance, subtlety, and minimalism, and in Mexico we are loud, expansive, and explosive." another excellent Japanese trade in Mexico.

In 2013, Lopez opened the sushi restaurant Rokai, and now his Edo Kobayashi group runs a mini-empire of restaurants a few blocks away (including ramen and yakitori). In December 2018, he opened Emilia, which offers Japanese-inspired dishes using local ingredients, and the Tokyo Music Bar cocktail lounge.

Lopez's latest projects include the Tatsugoro, a sushi and whiskey bar named after the aforementioned imperial gardener that just opened at the St. Regis Hotel, and a fried chicken restaurant called EFC, which stands for fried chicken. Edo's and serves sides that incorporate Japanese ingredients like wasabi and yuzu kosho.

There's even a Japanese-style inn, or ryokan, in Little Tokyo. Aptly named Ryo Kan, the tranquil 10-bedroom property opened in April 2018 and is built of wood and stone. Guests can relax in rooftop hot tubs that resemble onsen (Japanese hot springs) and sleep on futon-covered mats instead of standard beds.

To the south, not far from Raku, a triangle-shaped area in the north of Rome is on its way to becoming Little Tokyo 2.0. There is a Tokyobike store, a Japanese brand known for its simple and light city bikes. And a couple (he is Japanese, she is Mexican) owns Kameyama Shachuu, the only Japanese trade in Mexico who sells hand-forged Sakai Takayuki knives in the Osaka region.

Not far away, Tsubomi, a brick-walled bakery, sells savory and sweet pastries like anpan, a bagel filled with red bean paste. Just a few blocks from there, Hashi Gallery held its inaugural exhibition in February 2018. Completed by Omar Rosales, the gallery promotes established Japanese artists through pop-up exhibitions throughout the city. These are just some of the many establishments that show the recent strength of the Japanese trade in Mexico.