Ever since we first told you early last year about about the upcoming signature dining experience coming to the Japan pavilion in Epcot, we’ve been following its progress closely. While we have no way of knowing how far along the inside of the restaurant is, the outside has definitely made some big strides in the last couple weeks.
This awning first went up back in February, and it looks to be almost finished. It looks like they’re still painting the outside, but the roof seems about done and looks quite nice.
The retaining wall here, keeping the large mound of dirt at bay, has been painted as well. It looks as though this will be a courtyard of sorts before guests enter the restaurant.
You can see that they’ve salvaged some of the old pathway (in the right corner) and are connecting it to the new entrance.
Hopefully all of that dirt will be landscaped nicely. I already miss the trees that used to be in the area. A nice garden would compliment the new restaurant’s theme.
You can also see they’ve started on some outside details. They did a test area of this stone work a couple months back, and it looks like they’ve decided to continue with it. The stones look nice so far and will fit in well with the rest of the pavilion.
From the main pathway, the new awning blends in perfectly to the old building. It looks like it’s always been there. I’d assume that’s what they’re going for.
There’s still no official time line on the opening of this location, but by the looks of it, they want to be open sooner rather than later. I personally can’t wait to check out the inside. Japan is already my favorite pavilion in Epcot, and I’m excited for anything that adds to the experience.
We’ll keep you updated on any construction milestones or official announcements regarding the project.