On his way to the Battle of Toba and Fushimi, Imperial Prince Komatsunomiya Akihito was defeated at arm-wrestling by the ryotei's owner lady at the time, Etsuko MORI while having a sake feast, so he granted the ryotei his name.
鳥羽伏見の戦いに従軍した小松宮彰仁親王が酒の席上で当時の女将であった森悦子との腕相撲に負け、自分の名前を料亭に与えたことに始まる。