VIVANT Actor Takashi Yamanaka Opens Curry Shop in Kichijoji
The pop-up blurs the line between Yamanaka's on-screen role and his real-life passion, turning a character actor's side project into a fan event that echoes his VIVANT persona.
Key Facts
- Takashi Yamanaka opened a curry shop called Street Corner Chicken Curry with Iced Milk Tea in Kichijoji, Tokyo, on August 15 and 16, 2026.
- Yamanaka obtained the Curry Meister certification from the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association in 2016.
- The shop's poster featured Yamanaka in a red turban and curled beard, resembling his VIVANT character Ali Khan.
- Fans who visited praised the curry's flavor, with one calling it gentle and another saying it became their favorite chicken curry.
Reporting from 1 source: Magmix.
Takashi Yamanaka, who plays former Tent executive Ali Khan in the second season of TBS's Sunday drama VIVANT, opened a two-day pop-up curry shop in Kichijoji, Tokyo, on August 15 and 16, 2026. The shop, named Street Corner Chicken Curry with Iced Milk Tea, drew attention after Yamanaka posted photos on X and Instagram showing a poster of himself in a red turban and curled beard holding a ladle, which reminded fans of his VIVANT character. Yamanaka, a certified Curry Meister since 2016, has a history of curry-related projects, including a BS11 program where he created original curries. Fans who visited praised the curry's gentle flavor and noted long lines. Yamanaka hinted at a possible future reopening, suggesting the next event may draw even larger crowds.
Yamanaka's curry shop was a limited engagement, running only two days, and the poster's resemblance to Ali Khan sparked playful comments from fans, including jokes about fundraising for Tent and confusion with the VIVANT set. Some fans also recalled his role as Yuki Motegi, the Chinese restaurant owner in Takusari Brothers, when seeing him cook. The pop-up sold out, with empty pots shown in his posts, and attendees described the chicken curry as delicious and gentle in flavor, though some could not get in due to the crowd.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.