Connecting Cafe [Sen] - A traditional house cafe where you can enjoy daily changing food and drinks from different owners every day.

Interview with Kanemaru Yukiko, the representative of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ]

I spoke with Kanemaru Yukiko, the representative of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ].

The reason for opening Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ]

Please tell us about the reason for opening Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ].

Kanemaru

Originally, before Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ] opened, there was a café called Saji.

At that time, a young girl came and said, “I want to run a café!”

We are an NPO that wants to listen to the requests of the people who come here and fulfill them as much as possible.

Saji was operating at the current café location, so we created a café in a place that is now a warehouse.

When she was running the café there, one after another, people came saying, “I want to run a café too!” and it connected, leading to the establishment of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ].

The café was created just by receiving that girl's enthusiasm and her desire to “do it.”

Is that woman still running a café?

Kanemaru

Yes, Matsuura, the owner of Fondant Miel, is that girl.

About a year and a half after Saji became independent, around 4 different daily cafés came in, and it took its current form.

We have never actively recruited daily cafés, but they have naturally increased.

The commitment of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ]

Please tell us about the commitment of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ].

Kanemaru

We really don’t have any particular commitment.

What’s interesting is that even in the same space, it’s completely different depending on the owner.

Before we even think about it, everyone else is creating it, so what we can do is just prepare the space.

The tables and counters are also made from donated or handmade items, so it’s a space created from connections with various people.

We simply provide the place and make it easy for those who use it.

The only real commitment we have is cleaning and maintaining the garden. (laughs)

If you come back in a week, you will see how each café owner has created a completely different space.

The July 2018 heavy rain disaster

The July 2018 heavy rain disaster had a significant impact on Soja City. Did it affect your shop?

Kanemaru

When the July 2018 heavy rain disaster occurred, two board members were affected.

Since the members of this café are connected, we all went to help from the day after the disaster.

Then, unbelievably, it became clean in no time.

When the affected board member gave a greeting at the general meeting, they shared this story.

“I feel like all the hard work we’ve done until now was for that day, as all the members came, and it became clean in no time, to the point where people were amazed.”

So, it was an event that made me realize how important connections with people are.

Conclusion

At Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ], you can enjoy food and drinks from different owners every day.

The café, born from the desire of a girl who said, “I want to run a café!”, has created many connections and is a warm and comfortable space.

It teaches us how important connections with people are, while lowering the barriers to challenge, making it a wonderful café that is appreciated by the local community.

Please visit the café of an owner you are interested in at least once.

Data of Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ]

Name	Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ]
Address	2-5-20 Soja, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	080-1925-9379
Parking	Available Since the parking location can be easily mistaken, please be sure to check the directions from the access.
Business Hours	Monday: Kanade (11:30 AM - 4:00 PM) 　　　　Yoru to Gohan (7:00 PM - 10:00 PM) Tuesday & Saturday: Fondant Miel (11:30 AM - 4:00 PM) Wednesday: cafe & deli COPAN (11:30 AM - 2:00 PM) Thursday: Men-dokoro Sudachi-ya (11:30 AM - 4:00 PM) Friday: Hakka cafe (11:30 AM - 4:00 PM)
Regular Holidays	Sunday Daily cafés may also be closed on regular holidays. Please check various SNS and the website in advance. On Sundays, an irregular student cafeteria run by students from Okayama Prefectural University is held. Since there is no online announcement, please check on-site.
Payment Methods	Cash
Reservation Availability	Yes Reservations must be made by contacting each shop's phone number. The phone number for Kurashiki Tocotoco [ Sen -Sen- ] (080-1925-9379) connects to Kanemaru, the chairperson of the NPO “Soja Shopping Street Old House Utilization Association,” so please be careful when making reservations.
Seating	26 seats total Counter seats: 4 4-person table seats: 4 2-person table seats: 3
Smoking	Completely non-smoking
Toilet	Western-style toilet
Website	NPO Soja Shopping Street Old House Utilization Association

We deliver selected articles from Kurashiki Tocotoco via LINE