[Hisaya-Odori] "NEO Jun-Kissa Lion", a Renewed Coffee Shop that Continues to Support Nagoya's Coffee Shop Culture

Nagoya has a long-established coffee shop culture. "Jun-Kissa Lion", which has been operating for more than 60 years in Sakae no Hirokoji, the center of Nagoya, relocated and opened as "NEO Jun-Kissa Lion "in June 2019, about a 1-minute walk from Hisaya-Odori Station.

It moved to the 3rd floor of the White Mates building. The exterior of the building is surrounded by a secluded atmosphere and is marked by the lion that was previously in the restaurant.

When you visit the store, you will be soothed by the modern atmosphere. There are only 10 seats and 6 seats at the counter, but the atmosphere of a pure cafe where you can relax with a book in one hand is still there.

We spoke with Ms. Kitabayashi, the third generation representative of "NEO Jun-Kissa Lion", about the reason behind the relocation and his thoughts on the store.

To preserve the history and traditions of the past

Mina Kitabayashi, representative of NEO Jun-Kissa Lion

– I was very surprised by the renovation of Jun-Kissa Lion, which has been operating a coffee shop in Sakae for over 60 years. Please tell us why you moved.

Ms. Kitabayashi:"The main reason was the deterioration of the building. Jun-Kissa Lion was originally opened by my grandmother in 1958 (Showa 33). There was no major repair work for about 50 years, just replacing the wallpaper. However, when my mother took over from my grandmother about 10 years ago, the toilets and other plumbing systems started to break down, and I had to repair them over and over again."

– After being replaced, the building gradually deteriorated.

Ms. Kitabayashi:"That's right. It was a cycle of fixing things and continuing the business. My mother served as the store manager for about two years, and in 2015, I took over as the third generation. I was worried about the aging of the building, so in 2018 I decided to take a break from the shop for about a month to renovate it.The repairs were completed and I reopened the shop. As expected, things were not going well. I can't keep the shop open like this. The history of Jun-Kissa Lion may end in my generation. That's all I'm worried about, and my heart is weakening."

– So that is the reason to start considering moving from there?

Mr. Kitabayashi:"Actually, I had not thought about 'relocating' at all until December 2018. I had nothing else in my mind but that we must continue to protect this place that our predecessors have protected for a long time. That was all I could think about. But at the beginning of 2019, I took a bird's-eye view of the restaurant from a distance. I was born and raised in Sakae 4-chome and only knew this location, but when I looked at it from the outside, I began to think, 'There must be a better place elsewhere'. I'm the type of person who acts on the spur of the moment, so I went to see the place first."

- It's surprising that you thought about relocating six months before opening.

Mr. Kitabayashi: "I started thinking about relocating at a speed that surprised even myself. Up until now, I had been stuck with that location, but with my grandmother and mother gone and the previous generation gone, I felt a sense of responsibility that I had to make a decision somehow on my own. I was looking at different properties and decided on a hunch that this was the place for me."

– This place was intuitive.

Ms. Kitabayashi:"When I first visited here, I felt that the great view of the outside that could be seen from inside the store because of its location on the 3rd floor, the sense of distance from the customers, and the good atmosphere. I thought it would be a good idea to move here. This is an area that I am familiar with, and I feel a sense of security.

– How did your regular customers react when you told them you were moving?

Mr. Kitabayashi: "Jun-Kissa Lion has had so many customers from my grandmother and we have always been able to communicate well with them. When I told them in my own words that we were relocating, many of them said they were happy because it was a valuable coffee shop for them as well. We are very happy that many of our customers continue to visit us after the relocation.

Sakae 4-chome is an area of redevelopment and used to be a busy shopping area with various private stores. However, we were the last to live there as both a private store and residence. All of our history began there, and we have a lot of fond memories of that place, but now we feel that we were able to move in a very good way."

– Is the furniture in the store brought from the previous store?

Ms. Kitabayashi: "The only things I brought and displayed here are old clocks, TVs, stereos, and ukiyo-e (Japanese traditional paintings) prints. I got rid of most of the sofas, and the chairs and tables here were newly purchased. I love it because it blends in with the old interior."

- What is your outlook for the future?

Ms. Kitabayashi: "Jun-Kissa is full of history and connections, and after opening and moving more than 60 years ago, I believe this is a new beginning. I named the store 'NEO' in order to preserve the old traditions and at the same time, to start a new Jun-Kissa. As the third generation, I would like to continue to pass on to the next generation the wonderful cafe experience and the charm of coffee that I learned from my predecessors, while keeping NEO Jun-Kissa Lion in mind."