There is much to take in as you settle into your seat in Ebitei Bekkan’s pristine second-floor dining room: the vivid grain of the wood on the counter and on the ceiling above; the gleaming lacquerware tray that marks your place; the vase with its single, fragile flower against the matte mud wall.
In the narrow open kitchen, owner-chef Kentaro Mura is finalizing his preparations for the extensive meal that lies ahead. With his necktie and white work jacket, he affects an old-school look that is in marked contrast to the striking new premises that house Ebitei Bekkan in Toyama.
But what really grabs your attention is the picture window behind Mura. Running the entire width of the room, it looks out onto the upper branches of a splendid row of veteran cherry trees. Framed by the sky, it forms a gently moving tableau that changes subtly by the minute — and constantly with the cycle of the seasons, from blossom to verdant foliage, then to autumnal hues and finally bare branches.
