Lifestyle Asia’s Tattoo Talks explores the connection and stories behind people and their tattoos. For our next episode, we catch up with Shun Sato, the owner and chef of contemporary Japanese restaurant CENSU.
“CENSU” is a combination of 扇子 (“Sensu”), the Japanese word for folding fan, and “sense,” a reference to the restaurant’s commitment to satisfy all five senses. Beyond simply delivering a delicious meal and good service, CENSU is also a gallery and lifestyle brand in its own right.
The first tattoo Sato points to is from Megumu, a tattoo artist and director of Japanese fashion label Black Weirdos. The two have a longstanding relationship, and it was Megumu who also designed the new CENSU logo and collaborative merch for the restaurant.
Visible behind Sato during our interview was a custom WASHI denim quilt which joins other museum-worthy pieces on display including a Yayoi Kusama painting on the opposite wall. We’re told all of the art pieces at the restaurant are available for purchase, with works regularly cycling in and out. At CENSU’s online store, one can also find a range of apparel and accessories including .925 silver rings, boro denim coasters, and plates which echo the restaurant’s foundational Wabi-Sabi principles which find beauty in the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
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Shun’s journey with ink began at 17, when he got a Wabori tattoo on his shoulder. Tracing back centuries, the pieces are traditionally done by hand using a slender wooden rod with a needle grouping attached to the tip. Since then, he’s added on countless pieces over the years in different styles as his preferences continue to evolve.
“I love to tattoo,” says Sato. “When I’m stressed, and there’s a new project or some big event is coming. I would always get a tattoo.”
Despite the recent opening of a new CENSU outpost in Tokyo and hosting regular activations, Sato remains heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of CENSU Hong Kong. When he gets a rare breather, he looks to add to his body.
“I work at the restaurant every day but when I have a break for two hours, I would just go to the tattoo shop,” Sato tells us. “When there was a typhoon last year and there was nothing to do, I called Yeeki. ‘Hey lets catch up.’ For a two-hour session.”
Yeeki Lo, alongside New School Art from Japan, and Shigeo Tattoo from Australia were the guests of honour at CENSU’s second Flash Tattoo Pop-Up earlier this June. The event was held in collaboration with Milk featuring free flow canapés, unlimited a-la-carte drinks, and live tunes.
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Found on Gough Street in Central, CENSU brings Japan to Hong Kong while integrating culinary influences from Sato’s time spent at top restaurants in the U.K. and Australia. The location evokes a strong feeling of home away from home with Sato describing it as akin to his grandma’s house.
Following his father’s path of becoming a chef and restauranteur, and now a father himself, the importance Sato places on family is shown through his ink. His family name and crest are tattooed across his back and chest, while the birth of his daughter and the death of his grandmother are reflected across his arms and back.
With the CENSU brand in full stride and many moments to come worth celebrating, we’ll surely be seeing Sato at the tattoo shop a whole lot more.
CENSU
28-30 Gough St, Mid-Levels
16th June, 2024.
Reservations
Video/Images: Ryan Putranto
Special thanks to Joyce To, LOTUS
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Written by
Aaron Chow
Editor
Aaron is an editor currently based in Hong Kong focused on music, fashion, F&B, tech, art, and culture.
