The area, named "Karahori" after the outer moat of Osaka Castle, still retains its good old streetscape. One of the things that shapes the Karahori area is the mansion "Karahori Len", which has been designated as a registered tangible cultural property. The mansion, which is used as a complex and is lined with a wide variety of shops, is attracting attention as a retro spot.

In one corner of the sophisticated mansion, exuding a unique atmosphere is "Dekoboko Kotonohasha," a shop filled with letter-related goods.

A store specializing in letter goods run by an owner fascinated by letters

"Dekoboko Kotonohasha, a general store for playing with letters," was opened in 2020 by the store owner, Hayashi Kayoko, who is fascinated by letters.

Hayashi has loved letters since he was a child, reading books and looking at letters on signs around town. Having worked as a proofreader and having lived his life with letters, he explains why he is attracted to letters.

"Maybe it's the charm of kanji that's unique to them, but I find it puzzling, like, 'Why are they shaped like this?' The kanji themselves are cool, and the fonts and formats that give them a different impression are also interesting. I also love looking at magazine layouts that pay special attention to the placement of characters and design."

Inside the store, the walls are lined with a wide variety of products made by artists that Hayashi is attracted to.

Dekobokotonohashi started with handmade covered buttons

Fascinated by letters, Hayashi-san began to seriously deal in letter-related goods after his son underwent training abroad.

"When my son went on an overseas training course, I decided to prepare a souvenir for him. My parents own a Yuzen factory, so I made covered buttons with Japanese characters dyed on kimono fabric. They were well-received, and I started selling them at events."

The covered buttons are now sold as "Kotonoha Charms", an original product of "Dekoboko Kotonohasha". You can make your own charm by choosing the letter from over 3,000 types of buttons.

In 2020, when no events could be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dekoboko Kotonohasha was born. Here's why they decided to open a brick-and-mortar store instead of an online shop.

"I feel that a town with small specialty shops is more appealing than a town filled with chain stores, and I would be happy to be part of a town bustling with a variety of stores. I'm already 58 years old, so I want to enjoy everything I can to the fullest, and so I decided to have a brick-and-mortar store where I can interact directly with customers."

An experience that unearths the "word-loving" in your heart

Although "Dekoboko Kotonohashi" is a small shop, customers seem to stay there for a long time. Some people come alone and look at the products carefully, while others come with friends and look at the products while chatting with each other. Hayashi talks about the appeal of letter goods.

"Even when looking at the same characters, some people are attracted to them and others are not. I think the difference is related to the situation in which each person encountered the character and their life. 'Those kanji are the name of someone I love,' or 'It reminds me of a word I saw in that book.' It's an irresistible moment. Please try to find the character that resonates with you."

Characters remind us of something. They make us feel nostalgic or fond. Hayashi describes this feeling of being drawn to characters as "character pounding," and he watches over his customers as they experience character pounding.

Although small, the mysterious, labyrinth-like "Dekoboko Kotonohasha, a general store where you can play with letters," is sure to awaken the "feeling of love for letters" that resides in everyone's heart.

A general store for playing with letters: Dekobokotohasha
Address: 1st floor, Karahori Ren, 6-17-43 Tanimachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Access: 1 minute walk from Matsuyamachi Station, Exit 3 on the Osaka Metro Tsurumi Ryokuchi Line
HP: https://kotonoha8.myshopify.com/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/decoboco888/
*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the SNS links above.