Explainer: Tokyo-Style Pizza, Japan’s Take on the Neapolitan Slice

Neapolitan, New York, Roman – these are kinds of pizza you’re probably familiar with because of how easy they are to find in Australia. Detroit and Chicago’s pies have gained momentum here too. And even “London-style” is a thing. But what about Tokyo?

Over the past few decades, the Japanese capital has blossomed into a world-class pizza destination, birthing its own distinct Tokyo style. With the news that one of the city’s most famous pizzerias, Pizza Studio Tamaki, is opening its biggest location in Sydney this year, we asked the Japanese-born pizzaiolo behind it, Tsubasa Tamaki, to help break the style down.

What is Tokyo-style pizza?

Simply, it’s a Japanese take on the leopard-crusted pizzas that have been served in Naples for centuries. “Neapolitan pizza adheres to tradition,” says Tamaki. “But we take an experimental approach, using different types of flour and salt.”

Japan has a longstanding appreciation for Italian food, with a dedicated fusion cuisine called itameshi that combines traditional elements of both cultures. While Tamaki doesn’t consider Tokyo-style pizza part of the itameshi category, it’s another exciting Japanese interpretation of Italian cuisine. 

How (and when) did it come about?

Japanese chef Susumu Kakinuma is considered the godfather of the form. Savoy, the restaurant he opened in Tokyo’s Nakameguro district in 1995, was a trailblazing force and now has multiple branches in the city. He opened another pizzeria, Seirinkan, in the original Nakameguro site in 2007, which still operates today.

Tamaki trained under Kakinuma. “I began experimenting with a unique technique to create a crust as light and airy as a cloud, using only my fingertips,” says Tamaki.

“Because I’d only had pizza in Japan, I focused on the precision of a Japanese artisan: carefully adjusting the dough to the climate and selecting high-quality ingredients.”

With the first Pizza Studio Tamaki in 2017, he became a big name in Tokyo-style pizza. The New York Times called him “one of the most talked-about pizzaioli in the world” for his exacting standards. The brand has since become a global chain with locations in Tokyo, Okinawa, Bangkok, Singapore and the Philippines.  

It’s all about the Tokyo stretch method. What does that involve?

“It’s an extremely delicate hand-stretching technique designed to keep as much air in the dough as possible without collapsing the bubbles,” says Tamaki, as opposed to the slapping method typical of the Neapolitan style.

“Our process involves meticulously managing dough temperature, ambient temperature and humidity. We maximise the aroma and sweetness of our original flour blend by allowing it to ferment longer than traditional methods.”

How does it differ from Neapolitan pizza?

“While Neapolitan pizza is chewy and soft, Tokyo-style pizza is crisp, airy and light,” says Tamaki. “It’s all about deliberate umami extraction and precise salt control.”

Okinawan salt is thrown into the oven before the 30-hour-fermented dough, and the high-heat searing gives the outside its characteristic crunch, while the inside stays moist and light. “As a result, the bottom crust gets sharper and savoury, similar to the Japanese way of eating Wagyu beef – just seasoned with high-quality salt to enhance the natural taste.” 

Where to find it in Australia

Pizza Studio Tamaki will open in Sydney’s CBD on May 16, in partnership with Kaizen Food Group, which brought the popular Mensho Tokyo ramen chain to Sydney and Melbourne. The signature Tamaki pizza is crowned with smoked mozzarella, pecorino romano, whole cherry tomatoes and basil. Other highlights include the five-cheese with honey, and the Bismarck with pork sausage, mushroom, pecorino romano and egg. 

New Melbourne pizzeria Garfield is also heavily influenced by Japan. “They approach pizza with a deep respect for traditional technique, but no fear around unexpected flavour combinations,” owner Jamie Valmorbida has said of Japanese pizza-making. At Garfield creative liberties have been taken with some of the toppings, including the Hawaiano with lacto-fermented pineapple, and the Tokyo Bianco with katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and raw tuna.         

Five of the most famous pizzerias in Tokyo

Pizza Studio Tamaki
Seirinkan
Savoy Azabujuban
Pizza Marumo
Pizza Strada
The Pizza Bar on 38th

Additional reporting by Quincy Malesovas.