Working together as a family to keep the shop going: Interview with Minoru Shimamura, owner of Ebisu Manju
This interview was conducted during our initial visit in March 2020.
When people think of eating while strolling around the Bikan Historical Area, Ebisu Manju often comes to mind. How long has the shop been around?
Shimamura
Hmm, I guess it’s been around since before the war. I don’t really know much about it.
That’s because I wasn’t connected to the people who originally ran the shop.
So the shop hasn’t been passed down through the family?
Shimamura
That’s right.
The person who came up with Ebisu Manju originally had his nephew run the shop at first.
After that, the inventor’s son took over.
His son’s wife and my wife were sisters, so that connection led to us taking over the shop.
It’s been about 20 years now, I think.
Ebisu Manju comes in just one variety, with chunky red bean paste. Why is that?
Shimamura
The founder (the person who came up with the Ebisu Manju recipe) apparently said, “It must never be changed.”
The method has always been the same, as have the shape and size, and there’s just one kind of filling: homemade chunky red bean paste.
I think it shows their confidence that it’s “absolutely delicious.”
They can succeed with just one variety, so there’s no need to change it.
Does your whole family make the manju, including the homemade chunky red bean paste?
Shimamura
My daughter (my eldest son’s wife) and I run the shop together now.
A relative prepares the red bean paste, and we also have the daughter of someone we know come and help us.
I’ll be 78 this year (2020), and my body isn’t as capable as it used to be, so I’d like us to work together as a family.
I hope my daughter can take things at her own pace and not overdo it.
What do you do during the summer break?
Shimamura
Pottery is my hobby, so I spend all my time doing what I love.
My wife teaches calligraphy, so when we were 60 and 70, we held joint pottery and calligraphy exhibitions.
I hope I can take things a little easier from now on.
Ebisu Manju, an irreplaceable part of the scenery, always there
“I hope the shop stays open for a long time.”
“Please keep going forever.”
We may sometimes say these words casually, but I think about how difficult it must be for a shop to live up to those sentiments.
I felt that the remarkable connections behind Ebisu Manju were made possible by the effort to keep the shop going.
I was also struck by the customers, happily chatting and coming and going as they savored the manju fresh off the griddle.
That scene is an irreplaceable part of the landscape, created over many years.
I, too, would like to go and enjoy an Ebisu Manju packed with red bean paste, just beside the west approach to Achi Shrine.
Ebisu Manju details
Some photos, including those at the beginning of the article, show the former price (75 yen) at the time of our feature visit in March 2020.
The current price is 100 yen each.
| Name | Ebisu Manju |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-16-37 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 090-2800-6827 |
| Parking | None |
| Business hours | 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Closed | Mondays Closed from after Golden Week through September 30 |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
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