Uguisudani is an area that stands out at night with its glittering neon lights and lively drinking district.

Leaving the station behind, walking down a quiet street where time passes slowly, you will notice an old Japanese house called "TOKYOBUNBUN" quietly standing in a residential area.

This old house, which was built about 70 years ago, still retains the feel of a traditional Japanese house, with its mud walls and rattling sliding doors.

Tokyo Bunbun is a place where you can experience Japanese culture a little away from your everyday life. There are a variety of experiences to choose from, such as making Japanese dishes like miso soup and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) taught by a Japanese mother who is an expert at cooking, learning the art of kata (forms) from a samurai actor, or having your photo taken wearing a beautiful kimono.

This is a precious place where you can experience the Japanese aesthetic sense and spirituality that has been passed down through the ages in a nostalgic space.

A Japanese-Western space where you can feel the passage of time

Stepping inside, you are greeted by the nostalgic scent of tatami mats. What catches your eye is a chandelier and European-style furniture that at first glance seem out of place in the space. A beautiful kimono with a delicate pattern hangs above it, creating an exquisite blend of Japanese and Western styles.

The room where the experience takes place is softly screened from the outside view by snow-viewing shoji screens, gently guiding the visitor's gaze towards the dry landscape garden. This quiet space evokes the elegance of old Japan.

Hospitality in a space surrounded by things you love

The proprietress of Tokyo Bunbun, Shimamura Tomomi, is a multi-talented person who has worked extensively both in Japan and overseas as an actor and opera singer. Shimamura says that the reason she started running this experience facility, separate from her main job, is because she is giving shape to the things she loves from her life up until now.

Influenced by her mother, who was a tea master, she was naturally familiar with matcha from an early age. She loved cooking from a young age. She started working in opera as a university student, and became so obsessed with kimonos that she collected over 100 of them to use as stage costumes.

"It's really just a hobby. All I've been good at is cooking, matcha tea, and entertaining people. I have a love for old things, and I wanted to do something with my hobby, and that's when I came across this old house."

Shimamura's love of old things is what led him to choose this old house that he came across by chance in 2023. He began operating an experience facility where people can experience the entire space, driven by his desire to use his hobbies and have fun with many people in his favorite space.

Tokyo Bunbun is filled with Shimamura's passion and love for Japanese cuisine, matcha tea, and kimono experiences.

Make your own memories with "Tokyo Bunbun"

One of the most popular experiences at Tokyo Bunbun is the Japanese cooking experience, taught by Shimamura himself. In this experience, you will make colorful temari sushi using rice that you have cooked yourself.

The meal is accompanied by miso soup with a fragrant dashi made from shaved bonito flakes. You can taste three different types of miso and choose your favorite. You can also make your own rolled omelet and sesame dressing, which is not very familiar to people overseas, and serve the food in traditional Japanese tableware such as Arita ware, Kutani ware, and Edo Kiriko glass.

The appeal of cooking experiences is that by touching the ingredients and checking the taste while cooking, you can fully appreciate the depth and delicacy of Japanese cuisine. You will be able to experience the fun and difficulty of the cooking process, which you cannot get just by eating, and the beautiful food culture of Japanese cuisine when it is completed by plating it on a plate.

Another popular experience you can have here is the "Samurai Experience & Samurai Show."

The experience and show will be conducted by samurai actors and sword performers whom Shimamura met in the course of his work, and participants will actually wear kimonos and learn the ways of the samurai.

By learning about swords and sword fighting and experiencing the action of actually swinging a sword, you will feel as if you are immersed in a period drama. The spectacular samurai show, which you can watch in the privacy of an old Japanese house, is sure to become an unforgettable memory.

Tokyo Bunbun is a place that is filled with the landlady's passion and offers a variety of hospitality to its guests. Once you step inside, you'll find an abundance of exciting charm that will make you want to return and tell others about it.

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東京文聞
電話：090-4723-9204
住所：東京都荒川区東日暮里4-5-6
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