Yurakucho Bldg. is scheduled to close in 2023 and be rebuilt. Café Stone has been located on this first floor since the building was completed in 1966. Mr. Okumura, who is currently the third generation owner of this space, grew up watching his grandmother, the first owner, work. We spoke to Mr. Okumura, who grew up and works in Yurakucho, about the city's ever-changing scenery and the charm of the city that has remained unchanged since ancient times.

​We are proud to be a place that has continued to support working people in the business district of Yurakucho for more than half a century.

With its chic monochrome interior, Café Stone has long been a popular place for businessmen in Yurakucho to relax. As the name suggests, it is characterized by modern architecture that focuses on stone. Since the first owner's family home used to be a stone shop, it was opened as Café that also served as Showroom.

``The building has a modern architecture that uses a lot of stone.The floor is made of marble that is hand-split by craftsmen one by one, and the walls are made of granite, which is also used in the National Diet Building. At first, the walls were white, but as the years passed, they turned black due to staining from cigarette smoke.This is also a characteristic of Café the other hand, the ceiling is made of carpet material, and the walls and floors are colored. It has a soft, contrasting image.It has excellent soundproofing effects and is also highly functional.Thankfully, it is often featured in architecture-related media.''

However, Mr. Okumura says that his family, including the first owner, were surprisingly amateurs when it came to architecture, design, and even restaurants.

“My grandmother lost her grandfather at an early age, so she opened the store based on the advice of those around her.Before she opened the store, she had been training at a small Café in Shinbashi, so she was busy with the traffic. They decided to open a store in a business district where there are many people."

Mr. Okumura started working at the store about 20 years ago. I worked under my grandmother and learned the Stone style of customer service.

``As expected, many businessmen have been visiting our store since we opened, so I learned first-hand how to serve customers to support business.For example, during lunch breaks, we place emphasis on speed so that you can leave on time. If you're having a meeting with someone from another company, choose a spacious seat, or if you're a close friend, choose a seat at Time Zone end to make it easier to have a complicated conversation. I make quick judgments about the customer's needs and always make sure they have a comfortable stay.As a result of all of my efforts, I am proud that our customers have been patronizing us for many years as a business-like place.''

​The appeal of Yurakucho is that while it has urban elements, it also has a ``sadness in a good sense.''

Mr. Okumura watched his grandmother and father work from a young age, and said that he would spend his holidays in Yurakucho.

“When I was little, I used to come to the store with my mother and brothers on Sundays.It was a tradition in our family to wait for my grandmother and father to finish work and then go out to dinner together.In the past, Subaru You could watch movies over and over again in the theater, there was a game center in the basement, and the store clerk would secretly give your child a UFO catcher stuffed animal.Although it was in the city, it had a downtown atmosphere.Especially on Saturdays and Sundays, it was a business day. There were no people around, so it was quiet."

He goes on to say that the ``downtown feel'' he felt at that time is what makes Yurakucho unique.

``Personally, I think the appeal of Yurakucho is its friendliness and its sense of sadness in a good sense, full of emotion.Even though it's close to Ginza and Marunouchi, it has a different feel to it. I guess you can relax a bit (lol). I think this is a city that accepts all types of people, whether they are businessmen, the elderly, or children, without feeling overwhelmed.''

Even if the city changes, the same "friendliness" will still ooze out.

Mr. Okumura, who grew up with Yurakucho, also feels that the flow of people has changed.

``Since I took over about 10 years ago, Nakadori has become more colorful and crowded even on Saturdays and Sundays. Thanks to Café boom, people come not only for the architecture but also for Fruit Sandwich and other menu items. increased".

Recently, there has been a Showa retro boom in which ``good old things'' are attracting attention, especially among the younger generation. As Café culture is attracting attention, with cafes that purposely create a retro feel becoming popular, the number of younger generation customers at Café Stone has increased significantly.

``I'm really happy to see an increase in the number of teenage customers.They enter the store nervously and look hard at their smartphones as they decide on the menu. Their innocence makes me smile, and they appreciate the unique qualities that only Café can offer. I want people to feel that way, so I feel a different sense of nervousness than usual as a customer service person.I tend to admire new, shiny cafes, but young people are the opposite.They appreciate the good things about old things. So, once again, I feel grateful to have a foundation of real history."

Lastly, we asked about the future expectations for Yurakucho from the current location of Café Stone.

“Currently, there are current businessmen in the store, and next to them there are long-time customers, and there are also young people.We were aiming for a store where these various people could coexist, and we gradually realized this. As shown in this store, I believe that Yurakucho is a city with two sides: business and leisure, fashion and intimacy, liveliness and tranquility... I think this is a city that produces drama.As development progresses and the city continues to change, I think Yurakucho's friendliness, where anyone can become the leading role in a drama, will continue to shine through. I hope that even if the buildings and scenery change, the underlying character of the town will remain the same."