Benihana Sake

This incredible American success story really had its roots in Japan right after the war. At that time, Yunosuke Aoki, a samurai descendant and a popular Japanese entertainer together with his wife Katsu opened a small coffee shop in Tokyo. A red safflower, found in the neighborhood streets gave the Aoki's the inspiration for the restaurant's name - Benihana - which in Japanese means "red flower."