In 1911, following Plantan (March), which is considered to be the first cafe in Japan, a series of shops bearing the Lion (August), Paulista (December) and "Cafe" opened in Ginza one after another. Paulista was mainly coffee, but the lion was mainly cooking and drinking.
The lion was managed by Tsukiji Seiyoken, and was large and easy to enter the general public. He was known for serving in costumes (Japanese clothes and aprons) with beautiful women's salary.
Appearance of "Cafe Lion" and inside of the store (copy from "Sapporo Lion Co., Ltd." site)
"The origin and birth of" Ginza Lion "store name" of "Sapporo Lion Co., Ltd." states as follows.
>On August 10, 1911, "Cafe Lion" was born on the corner of Ginza 4-chome. (Managed by Seiyoken Tsukiji)
Behind this opening is the encouragement of the opening of the cafe from painters who had never forgotten the taste of the cafe they knew in Paris at the time.
The name of "Cafe Lion" is "Lion" (the predecessor of Seiyoken) at the time, when Uhei Kitamura, the owner of Seiyoken (the predecessor of Seiyoken), visited U.K. London, a restaurant that was operating on the corner of Piccadilly Square. It is said that "LYON" (owned by Joe Lions Shokai). This "Lion" was taken from the name of the founder Joe Lion, but at the same time it was used with respect to the dignity and dignity of the King Lion of Beasts. The Lion is also the emblem of the British royal family and an animal that symbolizes U.K.
Such a name was given to a restaurant that could be said to be the ancestor of Western restaurants at the time, and "Cafe Lion" was loved by many cultural people as a full-fledged restaurant with bars and banquet halls in addition to the dining room.
After that, in 1931, the management moved to Dainippon Beer Co., Ltd., changed its name as "Lion Yebisu Beer Hall", and was reborn as a Beer Hall.
Even after the transition to a beer hall, many visitors came to use the common name and nickname "Ginza Lion" or "Ginza Lion". This common name and nickname, "Ginza Lion was officially named in 1949 after the war.
The name of "Ginza Lion", which is currently known as the core brand of Sapporo Lion, was born in the middle of Ginza on the corner of Ginza 4-chome, and has become a popular name among many customers.