At Calayer, a curry restaurant that pays homage to thrash metal band Slayer, chef Takahiro Kubo prepares innovative, constantly changing curries for meat-lovers and vegans alike.

At Osaka Hanten, Hisao Tanaka's mission to provide hearty meals at affordable prices comes from the chef's past experiences with hunger.

The origin of tachinomi can be traced to the Edo Period (1603-1868), when sake shops started offering customers a quick tipple from square wooden measuring cups known as masu. Since then, they have become neighborhood institutions.