When it comes to summer, what do you think of?
Maybe beach, camping, BBQ and music festival?
Here in Japan, people also think of hanabi(fire works), suika(watermelon), matsuri(summer festival) and yukata.
Yukata is a kind of kimono which is a traditional clothing, you can easily get the image of Japan.
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
It is made from thin cloth which has variety patterns like flowers, butterflies, birds, hanabi, and traditional Japanese patterns.
People used to wear it after taking bath in the past.
At ryokan, which is a Japanese style of hotel, they prepare yukata as a pajama.
Now, yukata is the symbol of summer and people wear it at summer festival.
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
This time, me and my friend decided to wear yukata and went to this attractive retro cafe, Chique.
My friend is learning kitsuke(着付け : how to wear kimono) so she dressed me in yukata.
Kimono and yukata looks just like a wide cloth so the good thing is that it fits many types of figures but there are many processes to wear it.
I admire people in the past to take time to wear kimono in their daily basis!
Chique is standing along the river Tsuboi(坪井川).
When you find this sign, you’re almost there!
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
The name ‘Chique’ comes from Portuguese which means nostalgic.
The theme of this cafe is ‘昭和レトロ(Showa retro)’.
昭和 is the period from 1926 to 1989 and for people around my parent’s generation, it brings back good memories of their childhood.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
On the first floor, they sell enchanting and captivating knick-knack goods and it’s so much fun to explore it.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
We were just like kids who are trying to find treasures!
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
They decorate plastic plates depending on the time.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
The cafe space is on the second floor.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
When we arrived at the cafe, because it was nearly the closing time, there were only 2 customers except us.
Surprisingly, one of them was my friend who has just came back from the UK.
What a coincidence!
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
My friend ordered クリームソーダ(cream soda, in English ice float) and I ordered レモンスカッシュ(lemon squash, in English fizzy lemonade).
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
I was thinking that my parents will love this cafe so much!
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
This cafe is so photogenic and we enjoyed photo shooting so much!
This is how we always enjoy taking photos of each other!
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Wearing yukata makes us straighten our posture and be elegant and graceful(I hope we look so!).
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
‘美しさは細部に宿る(Utsukushisa ha saibu ni yadoru : The beauty is in the detail)’.
The phrase reminded me of how important it is to preserve our beautiful culture and to practice it in our daily lives.
Photo credit : Fumi @fu.mi.nn
We talked to the owner and she’s so friendly and charming.
If you want to catch a glimpse of good 昭和 period, visit Chique.
You’ll explore the good old days.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
【Information and links】
Chique
Address : 6-1, Uchitsuboi-machi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
（熊本県熊本市中央区内坪井町６−１）
Tel : 096-342-6338
Facebook
They have an online shop, names’すずらん堂 Suzuran dou‘.
If you’re fascinated with knick-knack goods, visit their website.
