If you stop by Nihonbashi Ningyocho, there is a coffee shop that you should definitely visit. That is "Coffee Daishoken" on the street two north of amazake Yokocho. The name of a restaurant that doesn't look like a coffee shop. Speaking of Daishoken, Tsukemen shops have become famous these days, but Ningyocho has a completely different system, but there is a headquarters of "Chinese cuisine Daishoken", which has a long history. is.
"Coffee Daishoken" often drops in after lunch with my colleagues from the company. This time, I decided to listen to the story again because there was too much uncertainty on the Internet, and the owner of the shop was confused.
We talked to the current owner, Yutaro Watanabe (5th generation of Daishoken) and his mother Chieko (4th generation).
On the wall on the right side of the store, there is a book with the name of "Daishoken". I'm surprised because it is said that the hero of the Russo-Japanese War, General Nogi (Maresuke Nogi) was written. On the left of the book, there is a sign of "Tamewatabe-san" indicating that it is a gift to the first owner Watanabe, and indeed Maresuke Nogi. The name of the store "Daishoken" seems to have been named for its auspicious name in commemoration of its great victory in the Russo-Japanese War. It doesn't seem clear how it was, but General Nogi often seemed to come to play around Yanagibashi, and at that time he met for something. ..
▲Name (Book: Maresuke Nogi)
In the first place, "China's Cooking Daishoken" is Hannosuke Watanabe (born 1858!), the founder of Daishoken. However, it starts when I met Rin Ninken, a Chinese who was doing business at a stall. Mr. Hayashi was a young man who came to Japan from Guangdong at the age of 20 in 1905, and was doing business at stalls. At that time, Hannosuke, who was an oil wholesaler, decided to hire Mr. Hayashi as the chef to open a Chinese restaurant, probably because of the intuition of the merchant. However, Hannosuke died in the middle of his desire to open a business. Matsuzo, who had been adopted, changed his name to the second generation Hannosuke, took over the first will, and finally opened "China Miku Daishoken" in Naniwacho (currently Ningyocho) in 1913. I opened it.
▲Left: 1986 Head Office, Middle: April 1933 Asakusa Branch, right: At the time of 1928
From the Taisho era to the Showa era, this neighborhood is full of vaudeville Suehiro, Meijiza, dance halls, cinemas, Suitengu, restaurants, etc., and Daishoken is also thriving. In the 1950s and 1950s, it expanded to three branches and 17 goodwill branches. Currently, four of them are active (Nihonbashi Honmachi store, Nihonbashi Yokoyama-cho store, Asakusabashi store, Shinkawa store).
▲An event held in Mitsukoshi in the 1950s.
It seems that the order for food was delivered to Mitsukoshi from what was made at a shop in Ningyocho.
Why is the main store Ningyocho store now becoming a coffee shop with a different business format?
My mother (Chieko Watanabe) lost her husband early and became a widow in her thirties. I thought about closing the store when I decided to rebuild the store and house. It takes about a year and a half to build, and even if you find a temporary store, you will borrow it for a short period of time, what should your employees do. Due to various problems overlapping, after discussing with Yutaro, the fifth generation, he decided to work further.
Both the deceased husband and Yutaro love coffee. Two mothers and children went to a coffee classroom to study, and in 1988, changed their business to a coffee shop and opened. The name of the store will be left for the successive owners who have protected the main store, and for each store that has been allowed to distribute goodwill and has been operating until now, the name of "Daishoken" is left. It seems that he decided. Mom says. "I'm grateful to the people who have been taking over" Daishoken "for generations and the customers who have been involved in this coffee shop for 30 years in Heisei."
▲Mom (Chieko Watanabe)
I was able to listen to the story while showing valuable materials.
Well, the current "Coffee Daishoken". The customer service is in charge of a cheerful mother (Chieko), who is 90 years old. "I want to do my best until the Tokyo Olympics," he said. No, no, my mother is still strong and my teeth are all my own, so I don't think it's the Olympics, but I think the Osaka Expo is an Ochanoko Saisai!
The history and name of the Chinese restaurant are all mentioned, but in fact, I would like to tell you more about this restaurant. That's because coffee is very delicious. The owner, Yutaro, will make a cup of coffee with a paper filter drip with heart after receiving the order.
The menu includes blends, Americans, 5 regular straight coffees (Kilimanjaro, Mandelin, Guatemala, Mokamatari, Colombia), and recommended beans (now Ethiopia). Other drinks such as milk, tea, cocoa, and juice.
First of all, we recommend a blend of 400 yen. If you drink a blend, you can see the strength of the shop. The design of the coffee cup is also wonderful.
When it was opened, it was a rattan chair that was first prepared. This means that it has been used for 30 years. And it seems that they prepared tables etc. according to the chair.
▲The rattan chair (left) from the coffee shop opened
Stained glass has been watching the restaurant since the days of Chinese restaurants.
You can also purchase "coffee tickets" at Daishoken (11 spells: 4000 yen). It's a very great ticket for me who likes coffee, so I always use it.
▲Great coffee ticket
When you come to Ningyocho, please drop in at "Coffee Daishoken". Why don't you refresh your mind with a cup of coffee? If you're lucky, you may be able to hear the story of this neighborhood and the history of Daishoken.
This time, we talked about not only the story of the shop, but also the story of a celebrity who was regular during the Chinese restaurant era and the story of this neighborhood in the past, and became more and more interested in the history of Ningyocho. Was. And I became more like Ningyocho.
Even so, where do the calm air in the store and this sense of comfort come from? Perhaps it is not only in the location of Ningyocho, but also in the life of Mr. Watanabe's mother and child who has carried the history of a famous Chinese restaurant called "Daishoken". It was this interview that made me feel like that.
Coffee Daishoken
2-22-4, Nihonbashiningyocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
TEL： 03-3668-8600
Business hours 11:00～15:00
Regular holidays: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
