Interview with Mito Yukari, who works at the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse
We interviewed Mito Yukari, the manager of the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse (at the time of the interview in December 2018).
The interview features content from the initial interview conducted in December 2018.
About the heavy rain disaster in July 2018
Please tell us about the situation during the heavy rain in July 2018.
Mito
We are close to the Takama River, where the levee broke, but fortunately, Makibi Park, the Makibi Memorial Hall, and the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse were spared from flooding damage.
Immediately after the disaster on July 7, we closed for business due to the water supply being cut off, but we were able to resume operations as soon as the drinking water supply was restored on July 24.
The nearby Community Center is currently not being used in the same way due to restoration work.
Therefore, we have been asked to use the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse for workshops such as handicrafts, and we have utilized half of the free space for storing relief supplies and the other half as a meeting room.
Since the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse was not damaged, we are able to provide a stable location.
The Bamboo Shoot Teahouse, which offers local vegetables and bamboo products
Please tell us about the products sold in the store.
Mito
At the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse, we mainly offer fresh vegetables produced by local residents, as well as bamboo products from the interior shop "Teori" that uses bamboo from Mabi.
Teori's factory suffered flooding damage during the heavy rain in July 2018, but they are working hard to recover and resume production.
The popular "trivet" has been out of stock for a long time, but it has finally been restocked recently.
I believe the furniture manufacturing has gotten back on track, and they are now able to produce small items from leftover materials.
Major changes after the disaster, what the people of Mabi have come to know
Have there been any changes compared to before the disaster?
Mito
The number of customers has increased, and we have become so busy that we can hardly keep up.
The Bamboo Shoot Teahouse is a place to promote Mabi's specialty products, yet many people in Mabi did not know about this park.
After the heavy rain disaster, the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse was the only facility among those that remained where food could be eaten.
Many volunteers and people from the affected Mabi came to eat and take a break to talk.
Since relief supplies were stored here, there were also people who came for the first time.
Currently, the placement of relief supplies has ended.
This has become an opportunity to change the menu and improve services so that customers can visit us two or three times.
We are incorporating brown rice, black rice, and seasonal vegetables into the menu, and we are making an effort to create healthy and energizing dishes.
Conclusion
Makibi Park offers seasonal scenery, including cherry blossoms in spring, fireflies in early summer, autumn leaves, and camellia flowers in winter.
In particular, the autumn leaves, which reach their peak in mid-November, blend with the exotic atmosphere of the park's buildings, creating a unique scene that can only be seen at Makibi Park, and I highly recommend it.
I hope that more people will come to know about the charming Makibi Park, which harmonizes with nature, and the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse, a place filled with smiles, and that exchanges with the people of Mabi will increase.
How about taking a stroll in the nature-filled Makibi Park and resting at the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse?
Data on the Bamboo Shoot Teahouse
| Name | Bamboo Shoot Teahouse |
|---|---|
| Address | 3652-1 Ayata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-698-1514 |
| Parking | Available General: 16 cars Disabled: 2 cars Bus: 2 buses |
| Business Hours | Business hours: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Cafe: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Meals: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Monday If Monday is a holiday, we will be open and close the following day |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation | Available |
| Seating | 16 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Restrooms | Barrier-free restrooms, public restrooms |
| Barrier-free | Ramp |
| Website | Bamboo Shoot Teahouse |
