In Japan, where we have four seasons and a variety of climates depending on the time of year, we can experience flowers that can only be seen at that time. When you arrange flowers at home, they bloom little by little over time, and even watching the changes as they eventually wilt is enjoyable. We found a secret garden in Ikebukuro, right in the middle of the city, where you can enjoy the beauty of the flowers as they change little by little.

The dried flowers and interior decoration, which exude a serene beauty, were created by the husband and wife owners.

HANABAR is located a two-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station C3 exit. In keeping with the concept of "step inside and you're in a movie," the first thing you see as you open the door is a colorful display of dried flowers spread out above your head. The sight is so exciting you'll be left breathless.

The interior of HANABAR was done by the owners, Yuidaiki and Nana Yui, themselves. They've always loved DIY, so much so that they bought an old house and hand-built it to reflect their personal tastes. The walls are painted in vibrant dull colors, the tables and chairs exude a sense of time, and even the tiles decorating the counter seats were all made by the couple themselves.

Bring the charm of flowers closer to you. Enjoy the beauty with your eyes and taste

▲At the front of the store, the store manager, Akabane-san, greets customers with his lovely smile.

HANABAR opened in 2017. The two, Yuidaiki, who loves alcohol and food, and Nana Yui, a dried flower artist, wanted to create a place where people could feel closer to the charm of flowers, and so this place was born.

"If I want to convey the charm of flowers through food, I want to incorporate floral elements not just in the decoration but also in the menu, so I decided to use edible flowers. I want to ensure that you can fully enjoy the beauty of flowers both visually and gustatory."

A variety of surprising drinks created like a song

The signature melon soda "Aimatsurika" is a drink that truly allows you to enjoy the charm of flowers. In addition to the colorful edible flowers that bloom on top of the ice cream, it is sprinkled with small details such as jasmine powder sprinkled on top and ice with flower petals trapped inside.

"I love music and I also compose music. When I think of the drink menu for HANABAR, I try to decide on a concept or story, just like when I compose music. I might start by thinking about the title of the drink, or I might expand on the image from seasonal flowers. I aim to make the menu offered at HANABAR something different and surprising."

A great thing about HANABAR's drinks is that you can choose whether or not you want them with alcohol when you order. Customers can also change the color of the drink at their request, and you can enjoy different flavors depending on the color. Recently, it seems that many young women are visiting the store to "oshikatsu" (push their favorite idols) by ordering a drink of their favorite color.

▲The new "Jet Black Cream Soda"is available only to the first 10 customers.

The beautiful and joyful thing about flowers and people is the way they change over time.

The dried flowers that bloom in the store are originally fresh and hung up so that customers can enjoy the changes that occur as they lose moisture little by little over time.

"I like the beauty that slowly deteriorates over time. Just like flowers, people also age. Although there is a part of me that wants to resist the passage of time, we often talk about how we shouldn't forget to accept it and enjoy it. We want to enjoy life in a natural way, living beautifully while making the most of our current appearance."

As the owners looked at each other with smiles on their faces, they exuded a serene beauty, just like dried flowers.

Many people visit HANABAR every day, mainly women and couples. This place where you can enjoy flowers with your eyes and taste is also a spot that gives you courage, not to be afraid of change, and that you are beautiful just the way you are.

HANABAR
電話：03-6874-5459
住所：東京都豊島区西池袋3丁目30-6 1F
アクセス：池袋駅C3出口より徒歩約2分
HP：https://www.hanabar.tokyo/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/hanabar.ikebukuro/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.