He moved to Beijing in 2012. He continued to help plan new Japanese hotels and restaurants in the capital, undertaking research, marketing and conceptualization of the venues to their planning and operation.

At the end of 2016, Tanioka started to make plans for his own restaurant, Koji, and took a year to decorate it. He focused on every detail to ensure it delivered an authentic Japanese-lifestyle experience, even bringing all of the tableware from Japan to Beijing himself.

"High-quality tableware is not easy to find, even in Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan," says Tanioka.

A gastronomic journey in Koji begins by selecting a bottle of sake followed by choosing a cup. Tanioka will recommend the type of cup that pairs best with the choice of sake if the diners want.

"Sometimes the customers will ask me to pair food with the sake they choose. It's part of my job as a sake sommelier," he says.

Tanioka thinks there are two rules that define Japanese cuisine－to extract the best flavor from each ingredient and to use only those that are in season.

"Koji provides food made from seasonal ingredients and countless liquors, presented in artistic vessels," Tanioka says.

"Along with the thoughtful and attentive service－that's the quintessence of Japanese cuisine."

If you go

11:30 am-2 pm; 5:30 pm-10 pm. 3/F, Nuo Hotel, 2A Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing.

010-8470-0162.