A Taste of Japan

In recent years, Japanese cuisine has become increasingly popular, but finding an authentic Japanese restaurant in the UK can still be a challenge. Hearing Frankie share her personal journey with her husband, from selling Japanese tea online to opening a tea house in the heart of York, was truly inspiring. Although COVID had a significant impact on their business, Frankie remains hopeful that they will bounce back in the near future.

In my final year of university, my focus shifted toward projects beyond the standard coursework. Building on experience creating video content with the student television society, the decision was made to pursue more independent projects. This led to the development of a mini-documentary series, exploring interesting places and people with a particular focus on how South Asian culture. The hope was that these stories would about cultural dialogue would engage friends, family, and a wider audience around the world.

At the early stages of development, with the idea of filming something food-related, the plan was to interview the owners of some of my favourite local restaurants in York. Though Ippuku Tea House initially felt too ambitious to take on, after finding it difficult to generate interest from several other independent businesses, it made sense to return to the original plan and reach out to Ippuku.

The film’s tone strives to emulate a cosy, at-home atmosphere, reflecting the experience Ippuku has aimed to create since its opening. Frankie sought to offer an alternative to traditional high-end Japanese restaurants, providing a dining experience that captures the feeling of enjoying a fresh, home-cooked Japanese meal with family.

Ultimately, the video has attracted over 1,400 views on YouTube and received positive feedback from York’s Japanese community.