Chisato ShizumeCommunal dining, or community kitchen, provides cheap and delicious meals in a relaxed environment where you share a table with people you meet for the first time. It gives you a chance to get to know new people (especially the locals) and an opportunity to join a new community. The meals are affordable. In most cases, the same food is provided for everyone, thus keeping the costs low. Such communal dining is becoming popular in Denmark as they are good cheap eats and people of all ages are welcome to dine.
A new cafe in Setagaya, Tokyo, is inspired by such Danish communal dining. ‘Hagukumu Kohan’ (Kohan) is a cafe which opened in October and serves ‘community dinner’ from 6 p.m. by reservation. Guests can join the community dinner on their own or with a friend or a family member. The table is shared with other participants or groups, and for dinner, a home cuisine that uses fermented food and organic rice. The cafe server will help guests at the same table communicate to relax and enjoy the conversations during the meal. Guests will enjoy their time and share the experience with people they meet by sheer serendipity.
Hagukumu Co. Ltd. operates the cafe, and the company aims to create the infrastructure of Higashimatsubara, where it is located, through this cafe. Kohan will provide various services besides community dinner: it will also open for lunch, sell flowers and organic food, hold workshops for children and families. Hagukumu expects the locals, people passing by, and people interested in community development to become connected with Kohan.
It also plans to implement the use of ‘eumo,’ a community currency at its shop. Community currency, also known as local money, encourages people to spend money in the local community. It, therefore, accelerates regional revitalization and strengthens the bond between the community and the locals. These various features of Kohan indicate Hagukumu’s goal of contributing to the regional development of the town.
The interior and furniture used in Kohan are also characteristic. Removable paper tubes made of recycled material are used in various places of the cafe, like the partition walls and the ceiling, to absorb sound. Famous Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the cafe’s interior designer, explains the intensity of the paper tubes is no different from wood. They can be upcycled easily or reused when they are no longer needed. He hopes to see other businesses in Higashimatsubara use these paper tubes at their stores in the future.
We have heard very often that social eating is better for our mental health. Yet many of us continue taking our meals alone from time to time (although I personally think eating alone is also an attractive way to enjoy a meal at times). However, research shows communal dining benefits the individuals’ well-being and brings the community together. And a social connection to the community gives people more satisfaction in life and self-confidence.
It won’t hurt to spend some time with new people and enjoy a good meal, so why not give it a shot? For those who find it difficult to join a communal dining, consider joining a workshop or shopping for organic food at Kohan. Once you find the place is comfortable, then you can step forward to join their healthy and delicious dinner.
[Reference] IDEAS FOR GOOD
