Background
Akiyama Tokuzo was born in 1888.
Akiyama Tokuzo was born in 1888.
He devoted himself to the cooking since he came up to Tokyo at the age of 15 and became an apprentice cook at the Peers' Hall. In 1909, he went abroad, studying cooking in Paris.
After returning home from Paris in 1914, he entered the Ministry of Imperial Household and became first chief cook at the Ministry in charge of serving the Emperor. He was only 25 years old when he became the emperor's master chef. In 1920, he travelled to various countries in Europe and to America to study their cuisines, also accompanying the Crown Prince (Hirohito). He was the third owner of the Touyouken restaurant in Tokyo. Akiyama served both Emperor Taisho and Emperor Shōwa, and retired in 1972 at the age of 83.