Japanese experiences in Paris

I have never been to Japan, yet it is truly a country and a culture that fascinates me. I’ve already talked about it quite a bit on the blog, especially through a selection of great food addresses in Paris. Today, I am offering a slightly different article covering several themes (gastronomy and beauty) to give you some ideas for traveling through the traditions of Japan without leaving the capital.

Salmon and avocado maki, drizzled with spicy sauce, served at Restaurant Bozen Iéna.

Table of Contents

Chakaiseki Akiyoshi

Chakaiseki Akiyoshi offers a journey to Japan without leaving Paris. This address, opened in January 2023, is run by chef Yuichiro Akiyoshi (who trained in a 3-star restaurant in Japan for 10 years and was a chef for an ambassador for 3 years) and is dedicated to the world of the tea ceremony. Here, they celebrate the art of chakaiseki or tea-kaiseki, a special meal served before tea ceremonies in Japan. This tradition, dating back about 500 years, allows one to drink thick matcha without stomach upset by avoiding an empty stomach. The meal is intended to be simple, with the chef showcasing seasonal ingredients and primarily fish, with very simple seasoning.

The interest of this address, in my opinion, is that it offers a unique experience that immerses us in the traditions of Japan and allows us to discover a ceremonial practice that has been inaccessible outside of Japan until now. Prices are high (all-inclusive menu at €240 for lunch and dinner), but the address also offers reduced prices (all-inclusive menu at €160 for lunch) so you can discover this experience.

Chef preparing Chakaiseki Akiyoshi dishes with chopsticks and rice bowls.

Japanese amuse-bouche with fish roe and wasabi at Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Chakaiseki Akiyoshi interior with guests dining at the counter and Japanese decor.

Bottle and glass of Mizubasho Pure sparkling sake at Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Sake tasting in a cup decorated with Mount Fuji, Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Akiyoshi chefs preparing dishes as part of Japanese experiences in Paris.

Pressed sushi dish (oshizushi) at Chakaiseki Akiyoshi Paris.

Grilled Japanese amuse-bouche, garnished with young green shoots on a textured plate.

Grilled pressed sushi from Chakaiseki Akiyoshi on a ceramic plate.

Matcha tea preparation by Chef Akiyoshi Chakaiseki.

Japanese tea service, wooden ladle pouring into a cast iron teapot, Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Person's hands holding a cup of traditional matcha from Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Four people, one in a kimono, in front of Japanese calligraphy at Chakaiseki Akiyoshi.

Japanese table decor on wood at Chakaiseki Akiyoshi with flowers and ceramics.

Black lacquered Japanese bento box with golden plum blossom and bamboo decorations.

Chakaiseki Akiyoshi
59 Rue Letellier, 75015 Paris
Link to the restaurant’s website

Discovering the Kobido Massage

Edye has been practicing the art of Kobido for 3 years, a traditional Japanese facial massage, recognized in Japan as a genuine natural facelift. She was initiated and certified by the only master of the 26th generation of Kobido. The origin of this massage dates back to the mid-15th century and it was reportedly created by two of the most qualified Anma masters (an ancient form of massage) in Japan. For a long time, this treatment was the exclusive privilege of empresses.

Combining techniques refined over centuries, this art, whose movements resemble a choreography, aims to enhance beauty while providing a form of well-being to the person receiving the massage. This treatment requires great precision in the movements and alternates techniques including kneading, drainage, vibrations, pressure, and even stretching… As in most Japanese traditions, Kobido is not just a massage; it is accompanied by a philosophy based on the idea that ultimate beauty comes from the perfect balance between physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Kobido practitioner sitting near a massage table in a zen setting.

Grey armchair near a door and a shelf with a Himalayan salt lamp.

Decorative painting with painted circles and the inscription 'the first day of the rest of my life'.

Building entrance with wrought iron canopy, stone steps and bicycle.

Portrait of a smiling brunette woman, associated with Japanese experiences in Paris.

My feelings: I found this massage extremely gentle, pleasant, relaxing, and soothing. I also had the impression that Edye was using brushes to perform certain movements on my face, when in reality, everything was done with her hands! I felt as if my face was being “sculpted” and “painted”. Once the massage was over, I found that it had really restored radiance to my complexion.

Thanks to Edye for her invitation to test this massage.

Harmony & Kobido
Massage by appointment: 06 52 95 97 05
in Paris or in Vincennes (14 bis rue de la paix)
Price: 60-minute session €120
The session lasts 60 minutes with 45/50 minutes of effective massage followed by a break and
a biological detoxifying infusion
Link to the website

Restaurant Bozen Iéna

Founded in 2011 by two friends, Julien and Yoni, Bozen is a restaurant concept specializing in sushi fast food. There are several branches of this brand in Paris, Vincennes, Levallois, Marseille, and even Boulogne-Billancourt… The first restaurant was born in the 16^th arrondissement of Paris, and this is the one we tested with my favorite photographer. The chain offers traditional sushi but also slightly more original creations (fried sushi, foie gras, etc.), as well as salads, bagels, poke bowls, and hot dishes (noodles, etc.).

To taste: the Volcano maki with chili, salmon, and topped with avocado (€11.50 for 8 pieces); the Dragon Eye maki with cooked salmon, asparagus, and tempura-style carrot (€11.50 for 8 pieces); the Inferno salmon with crispy rice, salmon, and spicy mayo sauce (€9.90 for 4 pieces); the Black Truffle maki with salmon tartare, truffle mayonnaise, black truffle shavings, and topped with avocado (€11.90 for 6 pieces).

Modern interior of the Bozen Japanese restaurant in Paris with tables and counter.

Avocado and red chili sushi maki on an artisanal Japanese plate at Bozen Iéna.

Woman eating sushi with chopsticks at the Bozen Iéna restaurant.

Salmon and avocado maki served on two elongated plates.

Fried maki with sesame and asparagus served on a brown plate at Bozen Iéna.

Four crispy rice bites with spicy salmon and sesame seeds.

Drinks, Wine, Desserts menu of the Japanese restaurant Bozen Paris.

Bozen dessert verrine with fruit, cream, and crushed nuts.

Water poured from a cast iron teapot into a cup with a THEODOR tea bag.

Facade of the Bozen Sushi Salade Bagel restaurant in Paris with a parked car.

Thanks to Bozen for this invitation.

Restaurant Bozen Iéna
22 rue Freycinet 75016 Paris
Price : platters starting from €17 / mix menu at lunch with a soft drink of choice (excluding
weekends and public holidays) starting from €13.90
Link to the brand’s website

B.glen beauty products

The brand b.glen draws inspiration from the refinement and beauty rituals of Japan by offering highly sophisticated products with high-performance formulas, derived from Californian research and developed in its Tokyo laboratories. Akira Kodama, the founder of b.glen, was captivated from childhood by the gestures of his grandmother, and then his mother, who would meticulously layer skincare products with extremely fine and fluid textures on their faces every morning and evening.

The goal of the range: to obtain perfect skin by keeping only the essential steps of the Japanese SAHO ritual.

The ancestral SAHO ritual is a true art in Japan. It must start with a double cleansing of the skin, followed by rinsing with water, and then the use of a lotion to eliminate limestone and tighten the skin’s pores. Then you must apply the serum, the eye contour, and finally the day cream. Ultimately, when I compare it to my own morning routine, I wasn’t so far off after all… The brand then offers several ranges that meet the different needs of women: anti-aging; intense hydration; anti-blemish; corrector and anti-dilated pores.

b.glen beauty products: QuSome Lotion, RichCream, Anti-Aging Treatment, Clay Wash.

Maison Suisen

Maison Suisen is a place outside of time that transports you directly to Japan through its decor and the rituals it offers. Sandra Jollet Kasparian, who is behind this project, took more than 5 years to successfully create this space dedicated to Japanese massages, imbued with a very important natural and organic philosophy. Her idea was truly to convey a traditional and authentic Japanese experience to Parisians, while respecting a certain state of mind (a large majority of the products used in the establishment are organic).

Here, everything immerses us in a traditional Japan and encourages us to take care of ourselves in order to reconnect. It is this search for renewal that is at the heart of the house’s philosophy and the treatments it performs. For my part, I tested the traditional shiatsu, the Wa Harmony. I had already mentioned shiatsu previously on the blog, because I had already tested this technique.

Yellow flowers on a table in front of a traditional Japanese Kumiko screen.

Woman in Japanese attire sitting on tatami, possibly for a Kobido massage.

Japanese massage room with tatami mats and bamboo-pattern shoji screens.

Japanese zōri sandals lined up on a light tiled floor, near a dark wooden floor.

As a reminder, shiatsu is a discipline of Japanese origin that consists of a sequence of deep and rhythmic pressures, exerted mainly by the practitioner’s thumbs. This sequence follows the energy flows that run through the body (the same meridians that are solicited in acupuncture, if you are familiar with it). The objective of shiatsu is to allow for better well-being and a better physiological and mental balance. Something that is, in the end, very close to the philosophy of yoga, in the way I personally practice it.

My opinion: shiatsu is a good solution for finding answers to the imbalances, fatigue, and disconnections induced by city life, whether it’s the frantic race against time, long working hours, pollution, excesses, or simply temporary stress.

The session takes place on a futon in a room with typical Japanese decor that immediately transports us elsewhere. You are also given a comfortable Japanese-style garment for the session. It is obviously the type of treatment that should be done at least at each change of season or, if you have more significant needs, once a month.

The extra touch: all of the house’s treatments are subsequently accompanied by a tasting of high-quality organic Japanese green tea (they are also for sale at the shop).

Thanks to Maison Suisen for this invitation to test this treatment.

Japanese tea, black teapot, and wagashi on a tray in front of a screen.

Maison Suisen facade in Paris, a Japanese experience shop.

Maison Suisen
7, rue de Thorigny 75003 Paris
Open Tuesday-Friday from 11am to 8pm / Saturday-Sunday from 10am to 8pm
Rates: 1h €105 / 2h €180 / Duo €190 / Loyalty 5 sessions €450
Link to the address’s website

Pâtisserie Tomo

This Franco-Japanese patisserie and tea room offers delicious sweet creations mixing French and Japanese specialties wonderfully! You can find revisited dorayaki (a Japanese red bean specialty), but also Mochi, all accompanied by carefully selected Japanese teas. The address is located in the neighborhood of Japanese restaurants in Paris, just behind the Palais-Royal garden.

Matcha mochi on a white plate for Valentine's Day.

Chocolate pastry with pomegranate seeds on an orange plate.

Valentine's Day pastries: matcha mochi and small chocolate cakes on colorful plates.

Individual yellow Japanese pastries, mounted style, presented in a row.

Chocolate dorayaki garnished with hazelnuts, Pâtisserie Tomo Paris specialty.

Japanese chocolate pastry with pomegranate and cocoa beans on a plate.

Matcha-dusted mochi on a black plate in a Japanese patisserie.

Tomo
11 rue Chabanais 75002 Paris
open Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 7pm
Link to the address’s website

The Nikka Whisky range

I recently discovered this Coffey range (named after a still created in 1830 by an Irishman) from the Japanese whisky brand Nikka at the bar Danico in Paris. It comes in several products: the Grain, the Malt (the 2 types of Whisky), the Gin, and the Nikka Coffey Vodka.

We are quite fans of whisky with my favorite photographer, and I must say we really enjoyed this one. The particularity of the Nikka Coffey Grain is that it is produced from corn and not wheat like most grain whiskies currently in Scotland. Located in the north of Japan’s main island, the Nikka distillery is established on a site that has pure water available but also a humid atmosphere ideal for aging whisky. In another genre, the blended whisky Nikka Days is a blend of grain and malt whiskies. This whisky is ideal for making the “Highball”, the favorite cocktail in Japan.

Bottle of Nikka Days Smooth & Delicate Blended Whisky held in hand.

Cocktail served in a coupe, hand holding the glass. Nikka Whisky.

Bottle and box of Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky with glass and ice mold.

Bottle of Nikka Days whisky, Fever-Tree Soda Water, and empty glasses.

Price for a bottle of Nikka Coffey Grain: €55

Hana bento

This brand specializes in bento and Japanese street food. For my part, I tested, some time ago already, the restaurant located on Rue de Paradis, but also the terrace which is located next to the Jeu de Paume. Today I will mainly talk to you about the address on Rue de Paradis. In addition to being a restaurant, the place also turns into a tea room from 2pm, and you can meet there to have an organic tea from the brand Mina, accompanied by a sweet note of sesame, matcha, or yuzu.

Warm interior of a Japanese restaurant with light wood tables and customers.

Japanese bento with shredded rice and colorful toppings in an octagonal box.

Square of chilled chocolate cake on a cherry blossom plate with a cup.

Matcha dessert with red bean coulis and a cup of Japanese tea.

Blue cast iron Japanese teapot and two floral tea cups.

Sales counter with La Cimbali espresso machine and Japanese menus.

Hana Bento Paradis
2, rue de Paradis, 75010, Paris
open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 10:30pm
Link to the restaurant’s website

Bowl of Japanese ramen with soft-boiled egg, scallions, and wooden spoon.

Find all my restaurant tests in Paris below:
⇒ My restaurant tests in Paris
⇒ My Asian restaurants in Paris
⇒ My Japanese restaurants in Paris

MY ARTICLES ON GOOD JAPANESE RESTAURANT ADDRESSES IN PARIS
⇒ Toraya Tea Room
⇒ Hakata Choten
⇒ Ao Izakaya
⇒ Ramen Bowl
⇒ Kodawari Ramen
⇒ Matsuri

Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez, Bruno Comtesse, and Melle Bon Plan
Photos not royalty-free, photographer authorization required before any use