Name: Behind the Counter at a #1 Japanese Pizza Restaurant
Uploaded: 2025-09-14T18:05:32.000Z
Duration: 12 min 33 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

The other day, I realized the best food in Japan isn't Japanese, it's pizza!

There are countless pizza restaurants in Japan, but this one stands out from the rest.

This is Cecilia, rated Yokohama's number one pizza shop, serving authentic Neapolitan pizza.

And seriously, can a Japanese man actually make pizza better than the rest of the world?

Well, I'm gonna have to go deep into this kitchen to get my answers.

Today, I'm in Yokohama, just right outside of Tokyo, and I wanted to take you behind the counter at this local Japanese pizza shop to show you how it's all done in this country.

So Atsushi-san used to work as a salesman for a major Japanese beverage company, but one day while visiting Napoli, a bite of pizza would forever change his life.

He returned home, quit his job, and flew back to Italy to fiercely study at a local pizzeria.

For many years, he honed his skills and was eventually honored by the Neapolitan Pizzioli Association with the title, Pizziolo Maestro, Master Pizza Maker.

I'm slowly letting the dough rise in the fridge, and then I'm taking it out of the fridge and raising the temperature.

Even with a stable refrigerator temperature, each ball rises in its own way.

With a skilled touch of more than 25 years, he reads these subtle variations, timing them precisely to craft the perfect dough.

He says that he stopped playing for 30 years as he was super busy with his store, but he started again.

Now he wakes up early every morning to practice and train before he comes in.

He says she runs a curated clothing boutique nearby.

So where in Italy did you learn to craft pizza?

The Japanese tour guide he had on his first trip to Italy happened to be related to an Italian pizza chef.

Now that all the workers are here, they start with their individual tasks.

This gives Atsushi-san a little breather to check today's reservations.

I was interested in pizza, so I came from the countryside.

I heard this place was famous, so I applied for a job.

Nice, and what do you do when you're not here?

I was asked if I wanted to open a hotel, so that's how I got started.

He says that the tourism industry in their ski resort area shut down during COVID and he was forced to consider other jobs.

So tell me, what's the most important thing when cooking?

I think cooking is the most important thing.

Oh, he's already working on the dough for tomorrow.

Apparently, he's even developed his own signature blend.

Four different types of flour combined to achieve his ideal taste, aroma, color, and texture.

He's carefully recording its quantity and fermentation each day.

By constantly reviewing his notes, he adjusts to the ever-changing environment, ensuring the perfect balance for the day's dough.

Kind of giving me scientific researcher vibes.

Japanese work ethic applied to an Italian craft?

Hey, do you mind if I talk to more of your workers?

Nice, it seems like the yeast is ready to go.

How'd she take it when you told her you wanted to make pizza for a living?

He says that it was a time when he was the most broke in his life, but he still supported his dream.

This is one of the reasons he married her and why he trusts her so deeply.

Do you travel to Italy with your wife often?

He says that before COVID, he used to take his team on a yearly trip to Italy in order for them to study pizza.

For him, tasting and experiencing firsthand the local pizza and cultural origins of their craft is the best way to get inspired.

And it serves as a reminder that every pizza they make carries a piece of tradition with it.

It's demanding and physical work, particularly when it comes to kneading the dough.

But he finds reward in bringing joy to each customer he serves, making about 120 pizzas a day, often selling out, especially on the weekends.

But his workload once came at a heavy cost.

Six years ago, he collapsed from exhaustion and was rushed to the hospital, forcing him to rethink everything, his health, his limits, his life.

For him, pizza isn't just a job, it's a passion.

And these changes ensured that he could pursue it for years to come.

As the dough rests, the team turns to preparing toppings and side dishes, keeping in mind that a lot of work still needs to be done.

Atsushi-san says when he started to study the art of crafting pizza, it seemed so easy.

But the deeper he studied, the more he realized that even the smallest adjustments in the process could easily change the final result.

It was then that he realized pizza is a lifelong craft.

Every day, he must take into account his ingredients, as well as the environment around him.

And only an experienced master can produce a consistent pizza each and every day.