Designed by Tokyo-based Keiji Ashizawa, MASU is a celebration of Japanese cuisine and culture and the restaurant’s Vietnamese roots. Standing just opposite a 15th-century Buddhist temple and the headquarters of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam in Hanoi, MASU was born of the owner’s fascination with Japan. 

Keiji Ashizawa drew inspiration from traditional Vietnamese townhouses and Japanese machiya. Inside, the layout was designed for a smooth flow and movement between spaces. Keiji Ashizawa tried to create movement paths so that customers and service processes don’t overlap. 

Featuring plenty of wood, another reference to Japanese architecture, the earthy palette helps shape an authentic atmosphere that is aligned with the culinary concept. 

Adorned with Isamu Noguchi’s pendants and locally made furniture, MASU is, as Keiji Ashizawa puts it, a space where  can experience Japan in Vietnam.