Summary

Menu used at Kuni's Japanese Restaurant, Melbourne, during the 1980s. Kuni's Japanese restaurant was opened in 1977 by Japanese migrant Kunihiro Ichikawa, who arrived in Melbourne as a student in 1974. It has remained one of Melbourne's earliest and longest running Japanese restaurants and Kunihiro's continued involvement has overseen the maintenance of Japanese cultural traditions through its menu, cooking style, interior design and methods of food presentation and service.

Physical Description

Eight page A5 sized menu on thick white paper with blue printing. The pages are centre stapled and front cover features a logo with a white circle containing three white dots on a blue square block. Inside pages list a series of dishes (soups, entrees, main courses, noodles and sweets), then a scroll-like illustration of a woman with umbrella in blue, followed by the menu dishes listed in Japanese. Back cover has address and contact details.

Significance

This collection represents one story within the important cultural and social narrative of the evolution of food and cooking traditions in Melbourne. These traditions have been particularly influenced over time by waves of migration and the gradually evolving sophistication of the local palate. These small businesses have also provided a significant way migrants have supported families and established themselves in the community.

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