Design Inspired by Japanese Sensibilities

Inspired by Japanese sensibilities including intentional hospitality, Janken, a 9,000-square-foot restaurant, opened in Portland, Oregon’s Pearl District at the end of 2022. The name comes from the Japanese equivalent of the Rock, Paper, Scissors game and the space combines natural elements, fluid design lines, and Japanese precision throughout. 

The pan-Asian restaurant focuses on Japanese and Korean cuisines and handcrafted cocktails with an angulated slat wall that fades from white to black and an open floor plan centered around a 12-foot cherry blossom tree with a 24-foot canopy.

Jade Joseph, Co-founder and Artistic Director at Based Experiments, worked with her team to design the interior to invoke a sense of calm and serenity to enhance the guest experience. The space features hanging lantern pendant lights, wooden wishbone chairs, and bouclé knit and leather banquettes, all custom-designed. 

“We wanted to create a space where movement was fluid and where every seat in…