On May 7th, Dote no Coffee Shop Manchan (Dotemachi, Hirosaki City), a coffee shop located on Kakumi-koji in Hirosaki, began recruiting for its fifth-generation owner.

The coffee shop was founded in 1929 and is known for having been visited by writers such as Osamu Dazai and Yojiro Ishizaka. It has been closed since December 2023, but the company announced on its website and at the entrance that it is looking for a fifth-generation owner.

The store was opened by founder Kozai Sumitoshi at the entrance to Kakumi-koji. It moved to the same building in 1959. In 2017, Kozai Hiromasa, the third-generation owner and grandson of Sumitoshi, fell ill and transferred the business to Asahi Kaikan (Dotemachi). Until December 2023, the store was run by Imagawa Yoshihiro, the fourth-generation owner and employee of Asahi Kaikan.

Nakajima Seigo of the company's sales department said, "We wanted to preserve our store, which is said to be the oldest in Tohoku and the fourth oldest in Japan, so we decided to open up a public search for a new owner. We are looking for someone who can take this store, which has been in business for nearly 100 years, to the next stage."

The store floor space is approximately 75 square meters. The store still has fixtures such as chandeliers and wall clocks that have been there since the store first opened, and the cups with the logo have been left as they are. The store was renovated when it was taken over in 2017. The store, including the fixtures, will be rented out, and the condition is that the store name will remain and it will continue to operate. The rent for the store will be explained during the interview.

Applications will be accepted on the store's website. The deadline for applications is June 15th.