
W Brothers
W Brothers is a fermentation-focused restaurant founded by brothers Hiroshi and Toshiharu Watanabe. After honing their skills at culinary institutes and acclaimed restaurants, they opened W Brothers to showcase the remarkable power of koji, Japan’s revered national fungus. Koji, created...
W Brothers is a fermentation-focused restaurant founded by brothers Hiroshi and Toshiharu Watanabe. After honing their skills at culinary institutes and acclaimed restaurants, they opened W Brothers to showcase the remarkable power of koji, Japan’s revered national fungus.
Koji, created by cultivating Aspergillus oryzae on steamed grains like rice, barley, and soybeans, forms the foundation of traditional seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, mirin, and sake. At W Brothers, dishes and drinks are crafted using enzyme-rich, handmade rice koji, preserving the live enzymes through careful low-temperature fermentation without heat treatment.
The restaurant’s philosophy centers on serving “a little healthy meal” rather than strict health food, offering a casual yet nourishing experience that fits today’s diverse lifestyles. Their homemade koji products, including all-purpose koji seasoning powders, make it easy to bring the benefits of fermentation into everyday home cooking.
W Brothers believes in the natural benefits of koji: improving gut health, boosting immunity, enhancing skin vitality, and unlocking deeper flavors in food. Through their work, they invite everyone to enjoy a richer, healthier life with koji at the heart of it.
