A modern classical space emerging from the darkness. This restaurant, where an underground atmosphere fuses with refined interior design, feels like a New York pizzeria run by Italians.
This is “Za’snatch.” The name combines “za,” English slang for pizza, with “snatch,” meaning to grab. It embodies the desire to instantly capture the hearts of those who eat here.
In this restaurant, owner Murakami has been chasing a dream every single day.
From Florence’s Streets to Italian Cuisine
Murakami’s journey into Italian cuisine began with a movie he watched in ninth grade: “Between Calm and Passion.”
Captivated by the beauty of Florence depicted in the film, Murakami found himself drawn to Italy. After graduating high school, he joined an Italian restaurant in Kitashinchi. Several years into his career, the head waiter told him, “Go to Italy and see the real thing.” Though the training period was short, the experience profoundly changed his life.
What left the deepest impression was a single pizza he ate at a local pizzeria. Just dough, olive oil, and cheese - a simple combination. Yet it was more delicious than any pizza he’d ever tasted.
“The pizza chef standing in front of the oven looked radiant,” he recalls with joy.
To Kobe, Chasing a Dream
For about 20 years since high school graduation, Murakami walked the culinary path at Italian restaurants in Osaka and Nishinomiya. Throughout that long career, he held onto one dream.
He loved Vissel Kobe and wanted his beloved players to someday taste the pizza he made.
His encounter with soccer came during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. The passion of that tournament drew him into the world of soccer, and he naturally began supporting his local team, Vissel Kobe.
One day, he received a call from Sugitani, a junior high and high school classmate who was running restaurants in Sannomiya. Sugitani was opening a pizzeria in Kobe soon and invited him to work together.
From Nishinomiya to Kobe. It wasn’t just a job change - it was a step toward his dream. In Kobe, there was a possibility that Vissel players might visit.
With that hope in his heart, Murakami made an immediate decision to work at Za’snatch.
Dreams will come true someday - Murakami believed this.
Kobe’s Lightest Pizza
Za’snatch aims to create “Kobe’s lightest pizza.” True to this promise, its surprisingly light texture is the restaurant’s greatest feature.
The secret lies in collaboration with “Vacances,” a popular bakery in Ninomiya. Captivated by the quality of their bread, Murakami directly negotiated to create his ideal dough. Through repeated trials, fine-tuning oven temperature and baking time, they perfected a one-of-a-kind original dough.
“Even people who usually leave the crust should try this,” he says. When you take a bite, you’re first surprised by its lightness. It doesn’t harden over time and stays crispy and fragrant until the last bite. This dough, delicious even when cold, perfectly complements the restaurant’s style of conversation over beer and wine.
Today, Murakami continues to pour his heart into every pizza he bakes.
Social Media Connected Him to Vissel
After opening Za’snatch, Murakami continued posting on social media. His passion for pizza, his love for Vissel Kobe, what he wanted to achieve with this restaurant.
One day, those posts brought an unexpected connection.
Someone connected to Vissel Kobe players discovered the restaurant through social media and visited. That experience was shared among players, and gradually other players and staff began visiting as well.
The players he admired were actually eating the pizza he made. Speaking your dreams aloud, continuing to share your passion - Murakami experienced firsthand how this can make reality bend toward you.
A Gathering Place for Players and Supporters
Murakami had another dream: to make this restaurant a gathering place for Vissel Kobe supporters. A place where people could talk about Vissel Kobe on match days and non-match days alike.
This dream, too, is becoming reality.
The calm, sophisticated atmosphere created by dim lighting is perfect for dates and dinner parties. At the same time, it has become a place where people who love Vissel naturally gather.
Vissel Kobe players occasionally stop by, and the walls display autographs from players who’ve visited.
“I hope these keep increasing,” Murakami says with a smile. Conversations born over pizza, spreading smiles - the scene Murakami envisioned is gradually taking shape and expanding.
While cherishing his love for Vissel Kobe, continuing to post on social media, and sincerely dedicating himself to making pizza - this accumulation of efforts has made this restaurant a special place.
Open Za’snatch’s door today, and Murakami’s “Kobe’s lightest pizza” will be there to welcome you.
Za’snatch
- 📍 2-3-15 Kotonoo-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
- 🚃 5-minute walk from JR Sannomiya Station / Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station
- 6-minute walk from Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station
- ⏰ Hours
- Mon–Fri | 17:00–22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
- Sat & Holidays | 12:00–15:00 (L.O. 14:30) / 17:00–22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
- 🗓 Closed: Sundays
- 🍕 Cuisine: Italian, Pizza, Bar
- 📱 Instagram: @za.snatch
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