Kosuke Chujo turned his love of all things Philadelphia into his bar and restaurant Philly in the Nihonbashi business district of Tokyo, writes Ali Mohsen for Billy Penn at WHYY.
Chujo runs the eatery with his wife, Tomomi, out of his parents’ former printing house. The two-story space is adorned in Philadelphia sports mascot plushies, SEPTA maps, album covers of Philly artists, and tags by travelers from every neighborhood in Philly.
While this is not the only spot in Tokyo that offers cheesesteaks, it has managed to gain an active following, in part due to the owners’ enthusiasm and their meticulous research. During the two trips they took to Philadelphia since 2021, the couple sampled and ranked cheesesteaks from all over the city and even interviewed Philadelphians on their preferences.
The couple are now on their third trip to Philadelphia, during which they plan on exploring the city’s bakeries to find the perfect bread.
“And also studying tomato pies, soft pretzels, and water ice,” said Kosuke.
He also plans on delving more deeply into the city’s music scene as he continues his culinary research.
“We feel happy when we connect with the people of Philadelphia,” Kosuke said. “And, I want to convey a [sense] of Philadelphia to the Japanese.”
Read more about the story behind Nihonbashi Philly in Billy Penn at WHYY.
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