Makibi Park and Takenoko Chaya: A welcoming place full of smiles where people from Mabi gather to relax

Interview with Yukari Mito, who works at Takenoko Chaya

We interviewed Yukari Mito, manager of Takenoko Chaya (as of December 2018, when the interview was conducted).

At the time of the July 2018 Heavy Rains disaster

Could you tell us about the situation during the July 2018 Heavy Rains?

Mito

We are close to the Takama River, where the levee breached, but fortunately Makibi Park, Makibi Memorial Hall, and Takenoko Chaya escaped flooding.

Water service was cut off immediately after the disaster on July 7, so we closed temporarily. But on July 24, potable water service was restored, and we were able to reopen right away.

The nearby Community Center cannot currently be used as it was before because restoration work is underway.

So people have asked to use Takenoko Chaya for handicraft workshops and other activities. We have set aside half of the free space at Takenoko Chaya for relief supplies and use the other half as a meeting room.

Because Takenoko Chaya was not damaged, we have been able to provide a stable place for people to gather.

Takenoko Chaya, offering vegetables grown in Mabi and bamboo products

Could you tell us about the products sold in the shop?

Mito

At Takenoko Chaya, we mainly sell fresh vegetables grown by local people, as well as bamboo products from Teori, an interior goods shop that uses bamboo from Mabi.

Teori’s factory was flooded in the July 2018 Heavy Rains, but they worked hard to restore it and resume production.

Their popular pot stands had been out of stock for a long time, but they finally came back in recently.

I think furniture production has gotten back on track, and the production line has recovered to the point where they can make small items from offcuts.

Major changes after the disaster: people in Mabi learned about the park

Has anything changed compared with before the disaster?

Mito

We have more customers and are so busy that we can barely keep up.

Even though Takenoko Chaya is a place that promotes Mabi’s local specialties, many people in Mabi didn’t know about this park.

After the heavy rains disaster, Takenoko Chaya was the only surviving facility where people could get something to eat.

Many volunteers and people from disaster-stricken Mabi came to eat, take a break, and talk.

Some people came for the first time because relief supplies were being distributed here.

That also prompted us to make changes to our menu and services so that customers would come back a second or third time.

We include brown rice, black rice, and seasonal vegetables on the menu, and try to make food that is good for people’s health and helps them feel energized.

From the Writer

At Makibi Park, you can enjoy seasonal scenery throughout the year: cherry blossoms in spring, fireflies in early summer, autumn leaves in fall, and camellias in winter.

The autumn leaves, which are at their best in mid-November, blend with the park’s buildings, which have an exotic atmosphere, creating a special scene you can see only at Makibi Park. We highly recommend it.

We hope more people will learn about the appealing Makibi Park, which harmonizes with nature, and Takenoko Chaya, a rest stop filled with smiles, and that exchanges with the people of Mabi will grow.

Why not take a stroll through nature-rich Makibi Park and relax at Takenoko Chaya?

Takenoko Chaya Information

Name	Takenoko Chaya
Address	3652-1 Yata, Mabi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	086-698-1514
Parking	Available General: 16 spaces Accessible: 2 spaces Buses: 2 spaces
Hours	Opening hours: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Cafe: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Meals: 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Closed	Monday Open if Monday is a public holiday; closed the following day
Payment methods	Cash
Reservations	Accepted
Seating	16 seats
Smoking	Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas)
Restrooms	Accessible restroom, public restroom
Accessibility	Ramp
Website	Takenoko Chaya

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