The Beatles-Themed Pizza Spot In Japan Serving Traditional Neapolitan-Style Pies

At first glance, Seirinkan just looks like a pizza restaurant, a multi-level venue with an iron spiral staircase and dim lighting. But once you're inside, you'll notice something else about the Tokyo spot: The Beatles are playing. Nonstop. And the band's presence runs deeper than just the soundtrack, too, with posters and memorabilia of the Fab Four visible throughout the space. It seems the restaurant's founder, Susumu Kakinuma, combined his love of Neapolitan pizza with his love of the Beatles into one of the more unique dining experiences in Japan. Kakinuma — in his '60s as of March 2026 — has been making pizza for decades and is commonly credited as a godfather of Neapolitan pizza in Japan.

As Kakinuma explained in an Eater video profile, "In both pizza and music, rhythm is the most crucial. You can't make good pizza or play good music without the correct rhythm, so for me, pizza and music are one and the same." Suddenly, the prevalent Beatles soundtrack feels less arbitrary and more like an extension of his process. Just be aware that you won't find all types of pizza on the menu; while there are a small number of other items like appetizers, pasta, and desserts on offer, the pizza menu is restricted to just three options: marinara, margherita and bianca. This feels incredibly reminiscent of Italian cooking, where simplicity is everything.

Susumu Kakinuma's dedication has paid off, yielding glowing reviews and turning a meal at Seirinkan into destination dining. Chef David Chang even spotlighted the chef and his restaurant on Netflix's "Ugly Delicious," saying, "When I tell people I think the best pizza in the world's in Tokyo, they get really upset, you know?" While you might not expect a Tokyo pizzeria to receive that kind of accolade, it's proof that honing your craft is a winning strategy. In Italy, what makes pizza so delicious is its emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, and so Kakinuma does the same — using high-quality local Japanese flour for the dough and locally sourced wood to fuel the oven, reflecting a commitment to both craft and environment. 

It also fits another overarching theme in Japanese food culture, where chefs and restaurants focus on perfecting one single dish. Japan's reputation for detail-driven dining is perhaps part of why it's Martha Stewart's favorite country to eat in. Seirankan primarily focuses on three types of pizza, and one type of music, making it a true celebration of both. Once you've put this Beatles-themed pizzeria in the context of Japan, a country that celebrates specializations (it's also home to the world's smallest pizzeria), this singular focus makes sense. As they say: Do one thing and do it well. And in this case, that philosophy applies most clearly to Kakinuma himself — and the pizza he's spent decades perfecting.