MIMI KAKUSHI
A taste of the East - The Rhythm of the West
MIMI
KAKUSHI
RESTAURANT
Dubai, UAE
Built on a strong narrative, Mimi Kakushi blends time-honoured Japanese classics with new thinking. Rather than an attempt to mirror a national identity, our concept is focused on capturing a moment in time. An authentic celebration of Oriental Art Deco, the heydays of the 1920’s brought to the modern day. Mimi Kakushi embodies Japan when jazz was swinging into 1920s Osaka, bringing modern art and western fashions to it. It challenges traditional values and ignites a new golden era. The name ‘Mimi Kakushi’ (“covered ears” in Japanese) is borrowed from the distinctive bob haircut worn by the young Moga in 1920’s Japan. A direct reference to this turning point in culture.
Born into a strict samurai lineage, Hayakawa had once been a man of rules, honour and silence, but Hollywood transformed him. The brooding Japanese actor, with a gaze that could still a room, became a star whose charisma rivalled heartthrob Valentino. Like Valentino, Hayakawa’s smouldering presence made him a global sensation, but his fame came with its own complexities. His lavish life was as dramatic as his films: a gold-plated car glided through Beverly Hills, while jazz bands played for guests in his turreted mansion.
The year is 1926, Osaka is alive with the vibrant rhythms of jazz. A city where tradition collides with modernity, where Western bowler hats meet soft silk kimonos. Moga women wear the latest ‘Mimi Kakushi’ hair style, sipping imported cocktails in smoky dens. Amid this cultural revolution, whispers of Sessue Hayakawa’s exploits drift across the Pacific, electrifying imaginations.
A timeless restaurant where light takes a prominent role in the interior design, layered with textures, contrast, and natural materials.
He had it all—or so it seemed. Hayakawa’s fame soared in a time when roles for Asian actors were scarce and riddled with stereotypes. Refusing to be diminished, he crafted a powerful, enigmatic screen presence, but Hollywood had limits. Despite his acclaim, Hayakawa was rarely granted the respect afforded to his American peers.
Caught between two worlds, Hayakawa remained fiercely connected to his heritage. He maintained the rituals of his samurai upbringing, and founded a production company to tell authentic Japanese stories. Yet his life was a study in contrasts: the discipline of his youth juxtaposed with the hedonism of Hollywood. A man who stood apart, commanding attention with his silence, his intensity, and the quiet ache of a life lived on the edges of two cultures.
It is this tension between tradition and modernity, restraint and indulgence, that shaped every detail of the design—an atmosphere alive with layered contrasts, evoking the soulful energy of Osaka’s jazz-soaked undercurrent.
Our main intention with the site, was to reintroduce the sophistication the space deserved, transforming the uninteresting empty shell into a unique dining experience, unknown to Dubai’s saturated restaurant scene. Mimi Kakushi is layered with light, textures, contrast, and natural materials. The wooden screens provide spatial flexibility, with Japanese colonial influenced furniture, decorative fabrics, and hand painted walls.
Inspired by traditional Japanese joinery and principles of living, each element has been carefully curated, tailored and handcrafted. The light is carefully guided through the space. To the East, full-height stained glass windows in ambers and reds dresses the existing façade, allowing warm light to bathe the space during the day. To the South, a bespoke curtain of wooden beads covers the mirrored tables in dappled evening sun, transforming the sunset into an interiors feature. Each element of one’s journey has been carefully curated and crafted to immerse them in a strong narrative. The story is relevant and present in every detail.
PIRAJEAN LEES SCOPE
Full Interior design scheme
Coordination of M&E into the design
Layouts, circulation
Bespoke finishes and joinery
Bespoke furniture design
Bespoke decorative lighting
PARTNERS
Brand Design: AM Studioworks
Photographers: Maha Nasra Edde
Pirajean Lees is a narrative Interior Architecture, luxury interior design and furniture design studio in Chelsea, London, creating richly imaginative spaces for high-end hospitality and prime residential clients worldwide. For more information or to submit a brief, please contact the studio.
