This speciality grocer in Nihonbashi sells essentials for dashi soup stock ingredients – the foundation of Japanese cuisine. The shop was refurbished by Schemata Architects in 2017 and is hard to miss as the vivid red of the building stands out from everything else on the block. The colour is not just any red, either. The specific shade was chosen as it best matches the colour of the cross-section of a dried bonito fish – another dashi essential.
This deep red colour continues throughout the interior of the store as you shop through counters of dashi flakes and dried kombu (seaweed). Sleek copper fixtures and countertops accent the entire space which is mostly constructed of concrete – a modern touch to this traditional store.
When the weather is good, the store doors can be completely opened, letting tons of natural light seep inside as well as giving the store a sense of flow amidst the bustling Nihonbashi area.