Takumi-Tei

Signature Japanese Restaurant at Epcot

© Disney / © Mitsukoshi 

How do you make craftsmanship something guests can experience?

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Takumi-Tei is EPCOT’s signature Japanese restaurant, inspired by the artistry, craftsmanship, and natural beauty of Japan.

The experience was designed around the idea of takumi—the master craftsperson whose skill, patience, and attention to detail transform materials into something extraordinary.

The opportunity was to create more than a signature dining experience. It was to immerse guests in a world where story, architecture, craftsmanship, materials, and sensory details work together to communicate a distinct sense of place.

Every space within the restaurant was conceived as part of that larger story, creating an experience that unfolds as guests move through it.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

Takumi-Tei was built around an idea that is inherently difficult to communicate: the value of mastery, patience, and craftsmanship.

The challenge was to translate that abstract idea into a physical environment that guests could understand through exploration and experience.

Rather than relying on a single story or visual motif, the experience needed to communicate through layers of detail.

STORY
How can the philosophy of the takumi—the master craftsperson—shape the guest experience?

MATERIALS
How can natural materials, textures, and finishes communicate craftsmanship?

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS
How can each space establish its own atmosphere while remaining connected to the larger story?

ART & OBJECTS
How can individual pieces become meaningful storytelling elements?

GUEST JOURNEY
How can the story unfold gradually as guests move through the restaurant?

The goal was not simply to create a restaurant that looked Japanese.

It was to create an environment where craftsmanship itself became part of the story.

MY ROLE

DESIGNING FROM THE PLAN

Takumi-Tei was a signature dining experience retrofitted into an existing building, so the creative and storytelling approach had to work within an established architectural footprint while transforming the space into a new guest experience.

As Story Lead, I worked with CAD drawings, floor plans, elevations, and design documentation to understand the existing space and how it was being adapted for the restaurant. I tracked the story across the different spaces and guest touchpoints, making sure the narrative, names, environmental details, and guest-facing elements aligned with the evolving design.

I collaborated with the design and technical teams to understand how the existing architecture could support the new restaurant experience and where storytelling opportunities could be incorporated. This included considering guest circulation, spatial relationships, sightlines, placement, and how the story would unfold as guests moved through the restaurant.

Using the plans and design documentation as creative tools, I helped connect the story, architecture, Japanese-inspired design, and guest experience, ensuring the narrative remained cohesive as the existing space was transformed into Takumi-Tei.

 

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

  • Engineering News-Record (ENR) Best Small Project (2020)

CREATING THE STORY & GUEST EXPERIENCE

As the Story Lead for Takumi-Tei, Epcot’s signature Japanese dining experience, I helped develop the narrative foundation and guest experience for a restaurant centered on Japanese craftsmanship, nature, and hospitality.

I worked directly with Mitsukoshi partners to understand their goals and vision for the story, ensuring the creative direction reflected their perspective while aligning with the broader Epcot guest experience.

I translated those goals into the restaurant’s narrative and guest journey, considering how guests would experience the space from arrival through their meal. The storytelling was designed to feel layered and discoverable, allowing the restaurant’s Japanese influences and emphasis on craftsmanship to come through in the environment and guest-facing details.

I collaborated across creative, design, and partner teams to ensure the story remained consistent throughout the experience, connecting the restaurant’s concept, narrative, environmental storytelling, and guest interactions.

As Story Lead, I helped bring together the perspectives of Disney and Mitsukoshi to create a cohesive story and guest experience—one that felt authentic to the restaurant’s concept while giving guests a meaningful sense of place.

RESULT

Takumi-Tei became a signature dining experience where story, architecture, craftsmanship, materials, and guest experience work together as one narrative environment.

The restaurant’s spaces reveal different aspects of the larger concept, encouraging guests to notice the details, appreciate the materials, and experience the environment at their own pace.

Rather than presenting the story as something guests simply read or watch, Takumi-Tei allows them to experience the narrative through the physical environment.

The result is an immersive destination built on the idea that the smallest details can carry the greatest meaning.

For me, Takumi-Tei demonstrates the power of environmental storytelling through materiality and detail—using creative strategy and narrative thinking to give physical design a deeper purpose.

The story establishes the meaning.
The materials make it tangible.
The details make it memorable.