Interview with the owner of Zozan-an
About the care taken with the soba
Please tell us about the restaurant's recommendations and what makes it special.
Owner
I source buckwheat flour from Hokkaido and am committed to making the 100% buckwheat soba that I think tastes best.
Buckwheat flour actually costs more than wheat flour, and at the current price, it is difficult to cover the costs.
I’m grateful that people make the effort to come all the way to my restaurant here in Mabi, so I want to keep the prices on the menu as low as I can manage.
The situation during the July 2018 Heavy Rains and how the owner feels now
Please tell us about the situation and how you felt during the July 2018 Heavy Rains disaster.
Owner
On the night of July 6, 2018, an evacuation advisory was issued. A friend in Kawabe, Mabi, reportedly took about three hours to drive to Mabi General Park to evacuate. Traffic was so congested that people could hardly evacuate even if they wanted to.
Fortunately, neither my home nor my restaurant suffered flood damage.
At a time like that, the only thing I could do was provide meals, since I had a fully equipped kitchen.
First, I provided meals at the nursing home where my mother also lives, and then at a nearby welfare support facility.
Once the kitchens at those facilities were back in operation, I provided meals for friends in Mabi.
Immediately after the disaster, it was impossible to get ingredients in Mabi, so friends who live in Okayama City gathered ingredients and brought them over.
It made me realize how important it is to have friends.
Everyone really helped me. I’m grateful for the connections between people.
People in Mabi were affected in different ways, but I hope the whole community can work together.
Future business plans and what lies ahead
Before the heavy rains, you were also open on weekdays. I visited your restaurant many times, starting soon after it opened in July 2017. Could you tell us about your plans for future business hours?
Owner
Basically, I’d like to continue running the soba restaurant on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For weekday lunches, we can open for private bookings of eight or more people with courses starting at ¥3,500. For dinner, we can open for private bookings of four or more people with courses starting at ¥3,500. Please call us to discuss.
Since the heavy rains, I’ve been helping friends who were affected on weekdays. Now I’m preparing to open a new ramen shop in a container in Yata, Mabi, serving lunch Monday through Thursday only.
Really? That sounds interesting. But why are you starting a ramen shop as well?
Owner
As of November 2018, Mabi isn’t a place where customers can easily drop in from outside the area.
Some people may find soba a little intimidating, so I wanted to create a place where volunteers and people from both inside and outside Mabi could gather, and offer them a meal.
A supermarket in Mabi reopened in October 2018, but I thought it wouldn’t attract as many customers as it had before July 2018.
But in reality, so many people came that there wasn’t room to park in the lot.
I ran into an elderly woman I know who now lives in temporary housing, so I asked her how she was doing.
“There’s no one nearby I can talk to now, but I came here because I can meet and talk with people from Mabi.”
That’s what she said.
I thought, “That makes sense,” and understood.
There are few places where everyone can gather and talk, so I felt even more strongly that Mabi needs a place where people can come together, and I wanted to keep the restaurant going.
And I hope friends who supported us, as well as people from within and outside the prefecture, will come by so I can give something back, even in a small way.
After the interview
The owner of Zozan-an is taking action with a strong determination to contribute, even in a small way, to the recovery of the local community.
Compared with before the heavy rains, as of November 2018, nearly 40% of Mabi’s residents were living in temporary housing outside Mabi, and much support was still needed.
That is why I was reminded of the importance of sharing what is happening in Mabi now and encouraging more people to take an interest.
I also wanted more people to know about this soba restaurant, where the owner welcomes guests with a deep love for the local community, and to come visit.
Be sure to stop by Kisoba Chaya Zozan-an and enjoy soba in its retro atmosphere, in a building over 100 years old.
Kisoba Chaya Zozan-an Information
Closed as of November 2020.
| Name | Kisoba Chaya Zozan-an |
|---|---|
| Address | 2591 Yata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086‐698‐3551 |
| Parking | Available 10 spaces |
| Hours | Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (closes when the soba runs out) |
| Closed | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Open for weekday lunch reservations for courses starting at ¥3,500 for groups of 8 or more. Open for dinner reservations for courses starting at ¥3,500 for groups of 4 or more. Please contact us for details. |
| Seating | 1st floor: 17 seats; counter: 5; tables: 5 2nd floor: 20 seats; tables: 6 Terrace: 6 seats; tables: 1 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Bitchu Shikisai Shokaya Gomaisasa |
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