Ryu Miho's "Woman in Jazz♡" 4th Kamakura "tsuu" "I'm back! A restaurant where you can enjoy delicious food and gentle music"

Ryu: The shop has a very nice appearance. It has a calming atmosphere when you go inside. I heard that it was originally a storehouse.

Takuko-san: It's a rice storehouse built around 1897, so it's already about 120 years old. It took about 10 years to build, and we renovated it to turn it into a shop.

Ryu: What led you to decide to turn a rice storehouse into a shop?

Takuko-san: I originally wanted to open a cafe, and I wanted to open a cafe that played jazz. We select the music we play in the cafe, so we play classical music in the daytime to create a relaxed atmosphere, and from around 5pm we play jazz.

Ryu: It's nice that the atmosphere of the shop changes between day and night. What is the meaning behind the name of the shop, "tsuu"?

Tatsuko: Tsuu is taken from the play "Yuzuru."

Ryu: Is that a stage play that you like, Takuko?

Tatsuko: Yes, it's a stage I love, and I did theater when I was a student. Since I performed there, I feel like the feelings I felt have continued until now. It's a production with a small cast, but I played the crane in Yuzuru and the role of an old woman, and I did a variety of roles.

Ryu: I thought tsuu meant "passing through."

Tatsuko: That's also a play on words. Now, when people ask me why, I think it's good to have people who are familiar with various things and gather people who are familiar with Kamakura. At first, I was using hiragana, but when I asked my son Yuji about it, he advised me to use 'tsuu', so I decided on 'tsuu'.

Ryu: Yuji, you have other jobs as well so I imagine you're busy, but do you ever come to the store?

Yuji: I'm in the shop occasionally now. When we first opened, I helped out all the time, making coffee and meals.

Ryu: I see. When did tsuu open?

Takuko and Yuji: We opened in 2008, so next April will be our ninth year.

Ryu: It'll be your 10th anniversary soon, congratulations!

Takuko-san: Thank you. I have a lot of thoughts about each three-year period. When the third year renewal came around, I thought it would be tough on my body, but then three years passed and I thought, "Oh, it's already been three years." And then, three years went by in the blink of an eye, and now it's been nine years.

Ryu: I guess the time just flies when you're thinking about your customers and the food every day.

Takuko: Yes. Each day is short because I have to think about the customers, do the shopping, prepare the ingredients, cook the food and serve it to them.

Ryu: I see. When I come to Tsuu, I feel like I want to eat spare ribs! I think many of the other customers also come because they want to eat spare ribs or curry!

Takuko: Yes, we get a lot of orders for spare ribs. It's hard work because we get them from Hayama, but we want everyone to enjoy high-quality, delicious food, so we'll go anywhere! (laughs)

Ryu: That's amazing! By the way, how many spare ribs do you have available per day?

Takuko: We only make about 20 spare ribs a day. If we need more than that, we accept reservations. Our spare ribs are so tender that you can eat them with chopsticks, and one 90-year-old male customer comes to eat them at lunchtime once a week with wine. Even older people like them.

Ryu: I've had Akita cuisine before, but is it still on the menu?

Yuji: Damakomochi and kiritanpo hotpot.

Ryu: When will you be serving Akita cuisine?

Yuji: We serve it in the winter.

Ryu: Tazuku-san and Yuji-san, are you both from Akita?

Takuko and Yuji: Yes, that's right.

Ryu: I imagine there are customers who come to our restaurant because they can eat Akita cuisine.

Tatsuko: Yes, there are. In fact, we have many customers who are from Akita. They come in by chance, and many of them are from Akita.
We recommend dishes like Damakomochi nabe and Kiritanpo to the whole family.

Yuji: Damako are rice balls, and although they have the same stock as kiritanpo, they are handmade in our restaurant. When eating out, most people choose kiritanpo, but at home, more people choose damako.

Takuko: We get our Hinai jidori chicken from a certain store, and when we have vegetables we use Akita specialties such as parsley and Noshiro's long leeks, and we serve Damakomochi nabe, each of which is carefully selected.

Ryu: It looks delicious! In the winter, Tsuu is also focusing on Akita cuisine. How can people who want to try it get it?

Takoko: We are accepting reservations for two or more people starting from November.

Ryu: What kinds of customers do you have? Families, friends, couples, tourists.

Tatsuko: Most of the people there are families and locals, but there are also some tourists.

Yuji: It's located off the beaten path, so tourists often find it and come here.

Tatsuko: There are some people who come every day, but they get tired of it and want to try something else.

Ryu: If you come to tsuu and eat, you're healthy! Do more people come to eat here than to the coffee shop?

Takuko: Yes, we use a lot of vegetables and it's very healthy.
It turns into a cafe from 3pm, so many people drop in for a chat over coffee and cake.

Ryu: I see. Do women sometimes come alone?

Takuko: Many women come alone. Some come to read books, and some always sit at the counter.

Yuji: It's located off Komachi-dori, so people come here to relax.

Tatsuko: It's not visible from the outside, so it may take some courage to go in, but once you do, many of them say, "Oh, so that's the kind of place it is," and end up coming back again and again. Recently, we've had more solo female customers.

Ryu: I see. If a woman comes in alone, she'll probably stay for a long time.
You also hold solo exhibitions, jazz concerts, and other art collaborations. How do you go about organizing these events?

Takuko-san: Last time, a 90-year-old grandmother held an exhibition of ink paintings. On the last day, when the paintings were being taken down, her granddaughter gave a lovely piano performance. We also hold exhibitions and jazz concerts.

Yuji: The last jazz live performance was a Creole jazz live where we did a session using an instrument called the ka from Guadeloupe.

Ryu: It's a rare instrument, and I can hear the sound of it. The rhythm seems difficult.

Yuji: There are seven rhythms, and this is one of them. You can hear it at the live show.

Ryu: The ceilings are high and the sound resonates well.

Tatsuko: Yes, musicians have told me that the sound is soft, and that the strings in particular have a nice resonance, and sometimes vocalists even sing without a microphone. They say that the piano has a lovely sound.

Ryu: There's some mysterious warmth to it.

Takuko: That's right. It's a warm and mysterious space that is perfect for anyone holding a solo exhibition or performing live.

Yuji: Information about our live shows is posted on our official Facebook page, "Kamakura Hyakunen no Kura Cafe & Bar Tsuu." If you come to the store, we can show you around.

Ryu: It's reassuring to have people like Tatsuko and Yuji around.

Takuko: Yes, I feel relieved too.

Ryu: What do you want to spread from here in Kamakura along with your food and music?

Takuko: It has the essence of Kamakura, and this storehouse is a historic place. I don't think there are many storehouses as magnificent as this one, so I would like to continue to spread culture, music, food, and other such things from this storehouse.

Yuji: Most of the live shows and exhibitions are held in Kamakura, so I would like to show Kamakura's art to tourists from various regions and overseas.

Ryu: Finally, please give a message to everyone reading Woman in Jazz right now!

Yuji: It's in a quiet place off the beaten path, so I'd be happy if you could come and rest your feet when you're tired from sightseeing.

Takuko: Please come and enjoy your time sipping siphon-brewed coffee while surrounded by lovely plaster walls.

Ryu: Thank you very much!

What did you think? The 4th "Woman in Jazz"
This time we visited tsuu in Kamakura.
Food made with love, jazz you'll want to love, and heartfelt hospitality.
It's a magical space that you'll fall in love with from the moment you enter, and where you'll feel relaxed and at ease.
Why not visit this friendly store that will make you want to say "I'm home!" and soothe your body and mind?

Kamakura 100-Year-Old Storehouse ~ Cafe & Bar tsuu Official Facebook Page