Across Tenshin Bridge in Morimachi, Shizuoka, in the Mukaitenkata area, stands a quiet old-house café: "Hon to Kissa Hotori" (Books & Café Hotori). After encountering an old house in Morimachi and giving a presentation to its owner, Keiko moved to Morimachi with her family in 2024.

This area was once a pleasure quarter, and the old house, with its impressive beams still intact, is said to have been a billiard hall. With the help of an architect, her family and local people, she realized her long-held dream of opening a café.

Slide open the front door of Hotori and an earthen-floored entrance greets you. Further inside, in the slightly dim interior, coffee, handmade sweets and walls lined with books welcome every visitor. Why did a woman from Fukuoka end up opening a shop in this town? We took the time to hear about the thoughts behind the shop and the future she envisions.

Keiko traveled around Japan and abroad in her youth. The great turning point of her life was a fateful encounter in India with the man who would later become her husband. When he got a job in Hamamatsu, the two moved to Shizuoka. While marrying and raising children, she started a shared-space café in Iwata. Putting her own bookshelf in the shop, she found that books sparked conversations with customers and enriched the space. "Interesting things happen when there are books!?" From that experience was born the style of today's café, where you can read books and also buy them.

Her encounter with Morimachi began when she found this property through the "vacant house bank." While considering various towns, what made her decide to move to Morimachi was the "overwhelming enthusiasm" of the staff at the town's relocation support office. She says their warm support and passion, so different from other municipalities, gave her the push she needed.

Behind Keiko's gentle way of speaking you can sense a firm core and affection. Even though we had just met, it felt as if we had known each other for a long time – and that mysterious charm is the charm of Hotori itself. Unique events are held regularly, such as "philosophy dialogues," collaborations with a Japanese confectionery shop, and "handicraft gatherings" where participants quietly immerse themselves in their own creations.

"Since opening the shop I have less time for my hobbies. Then I realized: I can do what I want to do here, as an 'event.'" With this change of thinking, the shop has also become a place of expression filled with the things she loves. Hotori celebrated its first anniversary in September 2025. If you watch the video to the end, you will surely understand why such a comfortable atmosphere flows through this café. Please take your time and enjoy.