ART LIVES TORIDE Where Art Is Born

I run a cafe & gallery called hako cafe in Togashira, Toride City. The store displays old tools and scrap wood, and combines scrap wood and old tools into works of art.We have been holding workshops and live music performances in the space to bring the performers and artists closer to each other. I also make cutlery and earpicks from wood and bamboo, and accessories from metal and wood.

As locals know, this place used to be a small tobacco shop. I renovated it with my own hands.
hakocafe is a cafe that takes “ta” and “゛” and is a cafe that is located in the center of the
We have been sharing the space in the store with artists and other people who want to do things, such as a Korean artist who is a friend of mine whose work is part of the store.

I am originally from Tokyo, but by chance I was introduced to the idea of opening a store in Toride. I did some research and found out that the campus of Tokyo University of the Arts is located in Toride. I have always loved art in general, so my interest in Toride was sparked.

I simply have loved making things since I was a child. I picked up anything and everything and made or decorated something with it. I think I am still working on the same idea. Driftwood, old tools, and other things that have been around for a long time, and its expressions are what draws me in and brings me along. I am also interested in the food I cook and the space with music that I create with various people.
I think of the store itself as a work of art, so we share with our customers what happens and changes in the store on a daily basis.

I would like people to look at the foreign substance (hako cafe) that appears in an ordinary residential area from various perspectives. I continue to run this store because I want the town to have a place where people can feel close to art. Because I think art is very important for society.