Meet the Ghanaian father and son team taking Japan’s nightlife by storm

Japan-based Ghanaian father and son team of Frank Anthony Amanfo and Kobe Opuku Amanfo have leaving their imprint on the nightlife and hospitality industry of Japan in grand style!

Frank, who has been in Japan for over 25 years, was  a banker from Ghana Commercial Bank  in Kumasi. He travelled on leave to Japan and fell in love with Tokyo immediately, as he saw an opportunity for new beginnings.

Frank started as a waiter at an antique bar. Regardless of facing a lot of struggles with the language, with determination, Frank taught himself Japanese and eventually became the manager of the bar. He later opened his own bar with a friend and soon expanded with more of similar ventures across Japan.

His son, Kobe Opuku joined him in Japan some 15 years ago, and now they are business partners in the popular lounge and dining bar, R2 Supperclub, located in Roppongi,Tokyo.

On a recent episode of The Melanated Files (MFiles), Frank shared how it all began after he arrived in Japan 25 years ago, with only $200 in his pocket.

The father and son team, together with their third partner, a Sudanese by name Gasim Kuwa Makki Teia, took over the ownership of R2 Supperclub in November 2017 and have taken it to new heights.

Owners of R2 SupperClub, Frank Anthony Amanfo, Kobe Opuku Amanfo and Gasim Kuwa Makki Teia celebrating with guests

R2 first opened its doors in 2011 to great fanfare. It quickly became known as one of Tokyo’s hottest Night Spots, a place to be seen with it’s high standard drinks, food, charming service and wicked tunes spun by high caliber DJs.  It continues to attract a discerning clientele from a cross section of Tokyo’s society. According to Frank, R2 caters to 60 percent of foreigners and 40 percent Japanese.