Michelin One-Star Japanese Restaurant 'Yamazaki' in Nishiazabu, Tokyo Adopts All-in-One Platform 'Respo' for Restaurants

Hello Inc. (headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Yuki Hashiguchi) is pleased to announce that 'Yamazaki,' a Michelin one-star Japanese restaurant located in Nishiazabu, Tokyo (location: Minato City, Tokyo; owner: Shiro Yamazaki), has adopted 'Respo,' our all-in-one platform for restaurants.

https://respo.autoreserve.com/

'Yamazaki' is a Japanese restaurant where guests enjoy seasonal ingredients and the chef's craftsmanship with all five senses, centered around a wooden L-shaped counter. Since its opening in August 2018, it earned one star in the 'Michelin Guide Tokyo 2019' just three months later, and continues to attract attention from both domestic and international guests. While the restaurant prioritizes personal interaction with each guest due to its small team operation, it long faced operational challenges such as dual management of phone and online reservations and post-service back-office tasks. With the adoption of Respo, the restaurant has achieved centralized reservation management and improved on-site efficiency, establishing a foundation that supports the refined hospitality unique to counter-style dining.

Challenges Before Respo Adoption

'Yamazaki' faced the following on-site challenges:

■ Administrative Burden After Service Due to Dual Phone and Online Reservation Management

Phone and online reservations were managed through separate systems, requiring time-consuming verification and information sharing

Despite focusing on personalized counter service for small groups, staff often found themselves overwhelmed with administrative tasks after service hours

Manual entry and cross-checking of reservation data burdened the team, reducing time available for cooking and preparation for the next day

■ Resistance to 'Complex Systems' That Didn't Match On-Site Workflow

Management tools with too many complex features were difficult to operate on-site and risked increasing operational load

The team had long searched for a simple, manageable system that could run smoothly even with a small team

Key Features of 'Respo'

'Respo' is an all-in-one platform for restaurants, offered by Hello Inc. with core functions free of charge in Japan. It integrates reservation ledgers, site controllers, POS systems, payment terminals, and mobile ordering into a single platform, allowing flexible adoption tailored to the size and type of restaurant.

■ What Respo Can Do

Reservation Ledger: Integrates with multiple reservation channels, eliminating manual data entry across platforms

Site Controller: Centralizes inventory management across your website and various booking platforms

POS / Payment Terminal: Streamlines checkout and payment in one device, improving store operations

Mobile Ordering: Enables customers to order via smartphones or tablets, reducing table turnover time

Customer Information Management: Stores visit history, preferences, and allergy information for effective repeat customer engagement

Benefits of Respo Adoption

■ Benefit 1: Reduced Administrative Work and More Time for Cooking and Preparation Through Centralized Reservation Management

Respo allows both online and phone reservations to be managed in a single ledger, significantly reducing the burden of verification and manual entry across platforms. As a result, post-service administrative work has been greatly reduced, enabling staff to focus more on cooking and preparing for the next day. Integration with payment terminals has also streamlined checkout operations, reducing customer wait times.

■ Benefit 2: Accumulation of Customer Information That Enhances Counter-Style Hospitality

By leveraging Respo's customer information feature, the restaurant consistently records not only visit history but also conversation topics, dishes served, and drink preferences as notes. Allergies, disliked ingredients, and special occasions are recorded at the time of reservation. Having immediate access to this information during counter interactions enables highly personalized hospitality tailored to each guest.

■ Benefit 3: Beyond Efficiency—Enhancing Brand Value by Refining 'What Makes Yamazaki, Yamazaki'

With reduced stress in reservation and payment management, chefs and staff now have more time to engage in conversations with guests at the counter and serve dishes at the perfect moment. This supports the restaurant's philosophy of offering guests an experience that includes not just food, but also the space and time. This operational ease has contributed to an overall enhancement of the restaurant's brand value.

Comment from Shiro Yamazaki, Owner of Japanese Restaurant 'Yamazaki'

We received the following comment from Owner Shiro Yamazaki:

'The biggest reason we chose Respo was its simplicity and ease of use. Tools with too many functions are hard to operate on-site and often end up increasing operational burden. Respo, however, felt intuitive and perfectly matched our on-site workflow.'

'It's not just about efficiency—what has changed most is that we can now better refine what makes Yamazaki unique. With less stress in reservation and payment management, we can focus more on conversations with guests at the counter and serving dishes at the ideal moment. I hope other restaurant owners can experience the value of 'gaining more time for on-site focus by simplifying management.''

Comment from Yuki Hashiguchi, CEO of Hello Inc.

'Restaurant Yamazaki earned a Michelin star just three months after opening and continues to attract global attention. We deeply resonate with their commitment to valuing personal time with each guest, a hallmark of small counter-format operations. We are delighted that Respo serves not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a system that supports the refinement of 'what makes Yamazaki, Yamazaki,' returning time to hospitality and culinary excellence. As Yamazaki looks toward international expansion, we will strengthen multilingual support across our services, including AutoReserve, to help convey their unique vision beyond borders.'

Case Study Article Announcement

We have published a detailed case study featuring an interview with Mr. Yamazaki on the official Respo website. Please take a look.

▼ Case Study Article

'Reclaiming Time to Focus on Cuisine and Hospitality: The Simple Reservation Management Chosen by Renowned Japanese Restaurant Yamazaki'

URL: https://respo.autoreserve.com/ja-jp/cases/yamazaki

About Respo

Respo is an all-in-one platform for restaurants, offered by Hello Inc. with core functions free of charge in Japan. By digitizing operations such as reservation management, order processing, checkout, and sales analysis, Respo helps streamline restaurant operations and reduce costs.

From reservation ledgers to POS systems and mobile ordering, features can be customized freely based on store needs.

Open Respo

Redirects to the Respo homepage.

Yamazaki Store Overview

Store Name

Yamazaki

Location

1F, Nishiazabu UOU Building, 1-15-3 Nishiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0031