About Us
The Bond of Tea:
The Story of YAMAMOTOYA
The birth of KYOMACHI YAMAMOTOYA is a story of "bringing the daily essence of Japan into Taipei."
Nestled within Rongjin Gorgeous Time—originally a complex of official dormitories from the Japanese era—this space has been restored into a cultural landmark. Our team envisioned recreating the lived-in warmth of a Kyoto Machiya within these historic timber walls, rather than simply opening a "Japanese restaurant."
"Kyomachi" symbolizes the daily scenery along the streets of Kyoto;
"YAMAMOTOYA" flows with authentic home-style flavors and the persistent warmth of Japanese craftsmanship.
Together, the atmosphere evokes the spirit of a multi-generational shop tucked away in a quiet Kyoto alley.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Not Fine Dining, But the Heart of a Japanese Home
KYOMACHI YAMAMOTOYA focuses not on elaborate Kaiseki, but on authentic Japanese home-style meals, such as:
- Obanzai (おばんざい - Traditional Kyoto Home Cooking)
- Ochazuke and Matcha Soba Noodles
- Matcha Desserts and Wagashi
What we wish to convey is—
The warmth of a quiet, soul-soothing meal in a local Japanese shop.
This essence reflects the core Kyoto values of "simplicity, refinement, and seasonal sensibility."
Transforming Culture into Experience
Japanese culture is not just about decoration; it’s about the essence of daily life.
KYOMACHI YAMAMOTOYA is more than just a restaurant; it has evolved into a hub for cultural exchange:
- Matcha experiences and tea ceremony events
- Handmade Wagashi (Japanese sweets) workshops
- Seasonal Japanese festivals and rituals (e.g., Shime-nawa, Mochi pounding)
It allows guests to go beyond being "consumers" and become active cultural participants.
YAMAMOTOYA ｜ About Us
In Taipei, there is a place where dining is more than just a meal; it is a step into a meticulously preserved cultural landscape. "Yamamotoya" was born from two distinct yet echoing life paths.
One is Masato Yamamoto, from Hiroshima, Japan.
After accumulating diverse experience in Japan’s F&B industry, he entered the Asian market, bringing Japanese confectionery and culinary culture to daily life across cities from Taiwan to Hong Kong. From high-end retail to multinational expansions, his expertise lies not just in management, but in making "the taste of Japan" understood, accepted, and deeply loved in foreign lands.
In 2015, he led the Hokkaido matcha brand "108 MATCHA SARO" into Taiwan and expanded to Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Simultaneously, he collaborated with major brands like PX Mart, 7-ELEVEN, and Mister Donut, integrating matcha culture into a wider range of lifestyle scenarios.
The other is Zhen-Ying Gao, a cultural practitioner rooted in Taiwan.
Beginning as a translator and interpreter, she has long navigated between Japan and Taiwan, translating language into understanding and culture into tangible experiences. From brand planning and spatial design to on-site operations, her focus remains on the finer details—the intangible yet real distance between people and culture.
In 2015, she also joined "108 MATCHA SARO," participating in the brand's expansion across Asia. Throughout this journey, she defined her own direction: creating a space where people can truly "walk into culture."
Two paths, intersecting in time.
In 2022, they jointly participated in the Taipei City Government Bureau of Cultural Affairs’ revitalization project for century-old Japanese architecture, founding Kyomachi Yamamotoya that same year. This is not just a shop, but a venue for the natural flow of Japanese and Taiwanese cultures—through desserts, tea, space, and service, culture is not explained, but felt.
In 2025, they went deeper.
At the historic site of the 1930s Governor-General’s Office Forestry Department dormitory, Hakoniwa Yamamotoya was established.
"Hakoniwa"—the aesthetic of condensing the world into a single corner.
And here, they have gathered time, history, and culture into a space designed to be wandered through.
Masato Yamamoto excels at making culture "seen."
Zhen-Ying Gao excels at making culture "felt."
"Yamamotoya" is the answer born from their convergence—
Not merely a F&B brand,
but a place where one pauses to encounter culture.
In this space,
every bite of flavor, every inch of space, and every moment of service,
quietly whisper the same message:
Culture is not just something to be inherited;
it is something to be re-lived in the modern day.
MASATO YAMAMOTO
Director, Chiehyuan Enterprise Co., Ltd.General Manager, 108 MATCHA SARO Co., Ltd.
Founder, Yamamoto F&B Consulting
Born in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. After gaining extensive experience in operating various restaurant formats in Japan, he moved to Taiwan in 2005 to assist in the market entry and local operations of Japanese F&B brands. In 2008, he relocated to Hong Kong to lead a new business venture for the premium retail chain "City'super," focusing on the regional expansion of artisanal Japanese confectionery brands.
Returning to Taiwan in 2015, he was appointed CEO of the Hokkaido-based brand "108 MATCHA SARO," successfully launching its Taiwan flagship at Qsquare.
Under his leadership, the brand expanded across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In Taiwan, he currently operates multiple locations and actively pursues strategic collaborations. Notable projects include supervising the nationwide launch of Matcha and Hojicha sweets at over 1,080 PX Mart locations, as well as high-profile collaborations with 7-Eleven and Mister Donut. In 2022, he participated in the Taipei City Bureau of Cultural Affairs' renovation project of 100-year-old historic Japanese residences. This led to the opening of "Kyomachi Yamamoto-ya" in September 2022. Following the success of numerous Japan-Taiwan cultural exchanges, he opened "Hakoniwa Yamamoto-ya" in June 2025 at 0km Mountain Hub, a heritage site originally serving as the Governor-General’s Forest Management Bureau dormitories in the 1930s.
ZHEN-YING GAO (MIMI)
Chairperson, CHIEHYUAN ENTERPRISE CO., LTD. (Okami)Head of YAMAMOTO F&B CONSULTING
A Taiwan native who lived in Japan for 13 years and Hong Kong for 7. She graduated from Kinjo College in Kanazawa and the Department of Visual Communication Design at Osaka University of Arts. After working for a web design firm in Osaka, she returned to Taiwan in 2005.
Over the years, she has served as a translator and interpreter between Japanese enterprises and organizations, acting as a cultural bridge. Moving from design planning to local operations, she has translated "understanding" into tangible, lived experiences.
In 2015, she became the Brand Manager for "108 MATCHA SARO," later participating in its expansion across Asian markets. In 2022, she joined the revitalization project for century-old Japanese heritage buildings, opening "KYOMACHI YAMAMOTOYA" as the Okami. Her commitment to Japan-Taiwan exchange led to a partnership with the Kyoto Prefecture Economic Exchange Division.
In June 2025, she opened "HAKONIWA YAMAMOTOYA" at 0km Mountain Hub, a historic 1930s forestry dormitory site. More than just a manager, she is a curator and storyteller, weaving a world that invites people to "walk within."
She wears many hats: Okami, entrepreneur, designer, and cultural practitioner. She is also an online Japanese teacher, a Kimono Kitsuke (dressing) master, and an auditor for the Japan-Taiwan Dessert Craft Exchange Association.
All these roles share a single purpose: to gently pass on culture and allow it to be re-interpreted in the modern day. "YAMAMOTOYA" is more than a name—it is a place to pause and truly feel the flow of time and culture.
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