When Yoshitoshi "Yoshi" Momoki steps away from his bar in Tokyo, it's only for a visit to Rocky Top.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville alum, who has become a celebrity among Vols fans on both continents, had a full week in town participating in the Knox Asian Festival (complete with a K-Pop dance routine) and attending both the launch of UT's Japan Center
and the International House's 30th anniversary.Momoki is best known as the guy who opened Good Ole Tennessee Bar in 2024, bringing a slice of the Volunteer State to Japan's capital city. His recent Knoxville visit − which also included some Tennessee tailgating, a Knoxville Smokies game and drinks at local bars − was much different than his 2019 trip when he was a "nobody," Momoki told
Knox News.
"Especially at Knox Asian Festival, so many people wanted to take a photo with me, so I feel so good," he said.
The Tokyo native graduated from UT in 1993 and retains his commencement pamphlet alongside his original acceptance letter in a binder full of memories. As he returns home, the two newest additions are a Dolly Parton photo signed "To Yoshi" before her death and a certificate from Gov. Bill Lee naming him an "Honorary Tennessean."
Good Ole Tennessee Bar is a passion project for Yoshi Momoki
The small bar in Tokyo pays homage to UT, the state of Tennessee and his parents and grandparents, who sent him halfway around the world to experience Southern hospitality and an American education.
Following the death of his mother, Momoki began thinking about what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. The answer was creating community, and opening a bar serving Jack Daniel's whiskey − one of Tennessee's most famous exports − gave him a way to do it.
"As you may know, the Japanese are quite reserved until you get drunk," he said. "So, I thought a bar would be the best or ideal way to open up the place."
While in Knoxville, he popped into several Knoxville haunts: Abridged Beer Company, Chismoso, Southside Garage, Xul Beer Co. and Wagon Wheel.
"I think bar culture in the U.S. is more casual, you know, just to buy one drink or two and go home," Momoki said. "Whereas in Japan, that's so many salary men and businesspeople need to sit down and talk about bad things about bosses and stuff, you know, relieve the distresses and stuff. So it takes (a) longer time – they stay."
As the only worker, Momoki asks patrons to reach out before they visit the Good Ole Tennessee Bar, which fluctuates between slow nights with a few people to upwards of 50 patrons stopping in. Vols fans bring gifts like T-shirts, flags and majorette batons he uses to point out things in the bar.
"The favorite item is definitely the mini helmet signed by Tee Martin," Momoki said. "Yes, that's my treasure."
It makes sense. Martin led the Vols to a National Championship victory as the starting quarterback during the 1998 season and is one of the most treasured Tennessee football players in program history.
A Japanese alum's advice to international students in Tennessee
Flipping through his binder, Momoki reminisced on his time as an international student, pulling out newspaper clippings about the old International House and dance nights held at Lord Lindsey. He has a photo of a kindergarten class he visited as a student assistant to talk about Japan, and he kept the thank you cards the kids wrote.
He even attended an MC Hammer concert in 1990 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
"I've seen so many changes on campus and around the city, and it's so good. But at the same time, it feels a little bit sad," he said. "Always scrap and build, there's no memory leaving behind."
"It's OK to move on" as the university builds up new facilities, he said, including the Student Success Building replacing Melrose Hall where he spent most of his time as a student. But Momoki hopes UT and Knoxville will retain "portions of the city" so people like him can remember the old days.
One new campus addition Momoki said he is "so proud of" is the Japan Center, which aims to deepen the university and the state's ties to Japan.
He's also thrilled to see the rise in international students enrolling at UT. His advice: Embed yourself in American culture and have the "guts to go outside alone and talk to American students" and share in the melting pot of "different values."
After all, he said, it's a "once in a lifetime experience."
Knox News sports reporter Adam Sparks contributed to this report.
Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Japanese bar owner is a huge celeb among Vols fans: 'I feel so good'
