HISTORY
Chef Tetsuro
Born in Tokyo and raised in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. After graduating from high school, he worked in various jobs and, in 2010, traveled to Spain after meeting a Japanese chef living in the country. He began working at the Michelin-starred restaurant Alameda in the Basque Country and later spent 10 years as the sous-chef at Asador Etxebarri. In May 2023, he opened Txispa and earned a Michelin star in six months.
“I love understanding the stories behind things. Every phenomenon—whether in people, animals, or nature—has its own reason for being. I believe it’s important to reflect on each small ‘why?’ that exists in everything around us. Through the dining experience at Txispa, I would love to share the joy I find in my daily life in this valley. The morning sun that briefly illuminates the dewdrops, the fleeting glow of the sunset as it disappears behind the mountains… These beautiful moments I witness in this place—I want to capture them and express them in a small dish, to share them with you.”
The Origin of the Name “Txispa”
The name “Txispa” comes from the Spanish word “chispa”, meaning “spark.” By adding “TX,” we wanted to give it a Basque-inspired touch. Additionally, as a wood-fire cuisine restaurant, fire and sparks are a natural image for us.
However, the meaning of “Txispa” goes beyond fire. During his training, Chef Tetsurō often heard the phrase “falta txispa”—”it’s missing a spark.” He was taught that for a dish to truly belong in a restaurant, being delicious was not enough; it needed something more—a flash of brilliance that lingers in both memory and heart, a true “chispa.”
This is the philosophy we uphold at Txispa every day. We constantly strive to ensure that our dishes and dining experience always carry that special spark—something unforgettable.
Caserio
Our restaurant is located on a hill in the village of Axpe, at the foot of Mount Anboto.
This caserío was built approximately 400 years ago and was the first house constructed on this hill, overlooking the village of Axpe. For this reason, people began calling it MENDI GOIKOA—”the summit of the mountain.”
For centuries, people have lived here, and a few decades ago, it was renovated as the village’s first restaurant. Since then, this place has been known for the phrase “Where silence can be heard,” and even today, a plaque bearing these words is displayed on the restaurant’s wall.
