A Three-Generation Restaurant in a Changing Neighborhood
A three-generation soba restaurants creates new dishes to stay up with the times, while holding on to a neighborhood clientele.
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James Farrer
- Apr 19
- 22 min
South Indian Cuisine from a Japanese Couple
How did a husband a wife with no experience in the food and beverage industry fall in love with the cuisine of a distant region and spend...
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James Farrer
- Mar 28
- 12 min
A Mountain Survival Hut in Tokyo’s Urban Jungle
In the bustling heart of Nishiogi’s crowded drinking street is a hole-in-the-wall bar with a smart wood-trimmed interior and a rotating...
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James Farrer
- Jan 20
- 10 min
A Hidden Ibasho For Music Lovers
Many people dream of opening a small shop or a café as a way of supplementing their income, connecting to a community, or sharing...
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James Farrer
- Jan 2
- 14 min
The Wandering Restaurateur
Mashiko Yuuki is an unconventional restaurateur, a wanderer with dry humor and restless creative energy. Mashiko is owner-chef at Pic Nic...
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James Farrer
- Dec 25, 2023
- 15 min
Ownership Succession in a Popular Neighborhood Restaurant
Nishiogi has many aging establishments with a loyal following of regulars, but one of the burning questions for most is who will take...
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James Farrer
- Sep 8, 2023
- 15 min
A Woman Chef Creates a Space of Her Own
Exiting left from the North Exit of Nishi-Ogikubo JR Station, pedestrians, buses, and cars jostle along the narrow Fushimi Street....
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James Farrer
- Sep 5, 2023
- 9 min
A Michelin Recommended Ramen Shop
When Tokyo people think of a neighborhood for ramen, Ogikubo would make the list with its famous shoyu-based soups. In contrast,...
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James Farrer
- Jun 9, 2023
- 21 min
A Café, a Tree, and 10,000 Supporters
Standing in a park a residential area about a 10-minute walk from the north exit of Nishiogikubo Station is a magnificent zelkova...
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James Farrer
- Mar 26, 2023
- 8 min
The End of a Nishiogi Landmark
In late March 2022, long lines formed in front of the French Restaurant and Bakery Kokeshiya, directly outside the South Exit of the JR...
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James Farrer
- Jan 23, 2023
- 18 min
A Restaurant Owner as Community Activist
Sanninto – literally “three-person lantern” is a cozy dining bar on Heiwa-Dori street in Nishi-Ogikubo. A perfect spot for a quiet drink...
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James Farrer
- Dec 28, 2022
- 10 min
Facing the Pandemic, a Big Restaurant Group Aims Small
Nishi-Ogikubo is known for independent restaurants. However, corporate-owned restaurants are increasing in the neighborhood. On March 31,...
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James Farrer
- Aug 4, 2022
- 9 min
How to Succeed as an F&B Microbusiness (Cheesecake)
A baker describes how he set up his own micro-business in Nishiogi with the help of a consultancy.
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James Farrer
- Jul 22, 2022
- 10 min
A Green Tea Business Modeled on Coffee Culture
Green tea might be regarded as Japan’s national drink. It is associated with the tea ceremony and was Japan’s first major export “brand.”...
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James Farrer
- Jul 8, 2022
- 10 min
A Café Seeking its Local Identity
(In our previous article We describe the founding of the Nishiogi Koto Building, an alternative development scheme of the Nishogi Koto...
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James Farrer
- Jun 27, 2022
- 8 min
Seeking Work Life Balance in an At-Home Café
日本語で読む The pandemic has been a time of great disruptions in the restaurant business, requiring ingenuity and perseverance. Owners,...
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James Farrer
- Jun 19, 2022
- 12 min
Imagining Nishiogi’s Future in a Building
日本語で読む On April 29, 2022, about 30 Nishi-Ogikubo residents and visitors filed into the Nishiogi Cinema, for the inaugural film showing in...
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James Farrer
- May 25, 2022
- 7 min
Pioneering a Bagel Franchise During the Pandemic
日本語で読む Bringing a Franchise Model to Nishiogi Starting a small gastronomic business during COVID is challenging. For people looking to...
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James Farrer
- May 25, 2022
- 1 min
Archived Articles・前の記事
Posts before 2022 can be found on the Archive Page. 2022年前の記事はARCHIVEのページで見られる。
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