Although Masa Hamaya-Shokudo has always found beauty in hospitality, he didn’t view the food and beverage industry as a career path until after he graduated from Arizona State University and returned to Tokyo, Japan, where he was born and raised. During his time working there in a different role, he realized a desire to move back to the United States and found that pursuing a profession in the culinary arts was the fastest track he could take for finding his way stateside.
Hamaya’s journey took him to Atlanta, Georgia, where he served as chef at Oku, a sushi restaurant backed by restaurateur Steve Palmer’s group, The Indigo Road. During a trip he took with Palmer to New York City, the two conceptualized an idea for a new project. “As we ate our way through countless Japanese restaurants, we were inspired by the energy of the izakayas, and wanted to bring that pub-style experience to Charleston,” Hamaya said. “That’s how the concept for Shokudô, my take on tavern food, elevated through sourcing and technique, was born.”
On October 30, 2025, the co-creators opened Hamaya’s namesake, Shokudo, downtown at 479 King Street. Hamaya said he and Palmer chose Charleston as their destination because they knew its exceptional culinary community would be receptive to his approachable style of authentic Japanese cuisine.
Whether sourcing the freshest catch from Japan or antioxidant-rich shiso from California, Hamaya prepares every recipe with traditional Japanese methods. “What I enjoy most is making traditional Japanese dishes with unique flavor profiles. I’m not infusing two cuisines but am utilizing Japanese flavors and techniques with American ingredients,” he explained. “At Shokudo, we set out to create something one of a kind, a space where Japanese tradition meets Southern hospitality. So, every flame, skewer and hand roll tells a story of care and craft.”
Indeed, the casual, intimate and deeply rooted home-style Shokudo attracts patrons for its slow heat, clean flavors and thoughtful small plates. “The smaller portion size is intentional because we want guests to feel encouraged to explore the menu and try a ton of different things,” Hamaya explained. Inventive choices include skewers with pork katsu or lamb shoulder with curry-pickled onion, duck meatballs with lotus root or dry-aged fish such as king mackerel, grouper and snapper.
To enhance the overall dining experience, Shokudo's swanky decor is as scrumptious as Hamaya’s culinary presentations. “The interior design was created by David Thompson Studio as an extension of the food's philosophy. That is, rooted in tradition but decidedly modern,” Hamaya said. “One of David’s team members had the opportunity to go to Tokyo, which provided a lot of inspiration for the design you see in Shokudô, including a mural that inspired Nysa Hicks’s work in our Japanese Beer Garden. Her colorful art lends a flavorful aesthetic to the space.”
While Japanese cuisine is Hamaya’s passion, he is equally as enthusiastic about contributing to the community and supporting other local chefs. “In my experience, giving back happens on two levels – my peers and sharing my knowledge and culture,” he said. “I’ve prioritized working with The Giving Kitchen closely for many years. The work that they do to provide emergency assistance and stability to food service workers in crisis is so important in our industry. I also recently joined the James Beard Foundation advocacy group, which works directly on policies to build a more equitable and sustainable food system.”
He continued, “Because I love spreading valuable knowledge about traditional Japanese craft, technique and culture to those who are willing to listen and learn, the main way I feel I give back is not only to my staff but anyone who walks through Shokudô’s doors.”
Outside of his own kitchen, Hamaya enjoys dining around at other establishments in Charleston. “I love trying out different local restaurants,” he said. “In a beautiful, perfect world, I’d go to as many in one day as possible to introduce myself to fellow chefs because my way of doing research is connecting with the ones who are deep in their craft, learning what they’re doing and seeing how they’re having fun with what they do.”
To see what Hamaya’s cooking up next, follow shokudochs on Instagram and visit shokudochs.com to reserve a table.
As we ate our way through countless Japanese restaurants, we were inspired by the energy of the izakayas, and wanted to bring that pub-style experience to Charleston.
I love spreading valuable knowledge about traditional Japanese craft, technique and culture to those who are willing to listen and learn.