15th May 2022 sadly marked the closure of a restaurant that will have special meaning for fans of Shenmue as having been a potential stop on any "Shenmue the Animation pilgrimage" for a few short months.
The restaurant's exterior and interior served as models for the venue seen in Episode 3 of Shenmue the Animation called "Xuhe Hall", which is visited by Lan Di in order to extract information about the whereabouts of the mirrors from the owner.
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| Xuhe Hall exterior (Shenmue the Animation) |
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| Xuhe Hall interior (Shenmue the Animation) |
The real-life restaurant's name is Heichinrou and was the flagship store for the chain throughout Japan. It was the oldest existing restaurant in Yokohama Chinatown, and is closing after more than 130 years in business.
News outlets initially suggested that plans for a possible relocation were being considered, but a more recent news item has reported that this main branch of the restaurant has filed for bankruptcy after struggling through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, so reopening would appear unlikely.
However, to capture the last days of the restaurant while still in operation, I went along just before opening time on the last day to take some on-location pictures. The manager (I don't think he was the one in the anime!) kindly granted permission for me to also take some of the interior.
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| Yokohama Chinatown: the Heichinrou neon sign can be seen on the left |
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| Front of the restaurant |
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| Two gold guardian lions (shishi) guard the entrance |
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| Guardian lion detail |
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| Reception area |
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| Lobby |
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| Lobby pillars reaching up to the upper level |
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| Luxurious waiting area |
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| Hallway display |
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| Dining area: this second-floor area was already closed when I visited. |
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| Asahi newspaper article marking the closure |
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