On June 1st, an antique and folk crafts store "Yu-asobe" (Hirosaki Shimizumori, TEL 0172-89-3550) opened in an old folk house in Hirosaki.

The shop, which was built in 1938 (Showa 13), displays and sells the works and miscellaneous goods of artists working in Aomori prefecture. Mr. Manabu Umeda, the store manager, smiles, saying, "We aimed to create a store where people who visit the store without genre could be interested in something.

Mr. Umeda is from Aomori City and has worked at the select shop "Grupo Gig" in Hachinohe City for more than 25 years and left the company last July. He was looking for a property in Hachinohe to set up his own store, but he could not find a tenant that met the conditions.

Umeda's aunt, Hisako Sato, proposed about opening an old folk house that had been used as a storeroom until around November last year. “I like the scenery surrounded by apple fields and mountains,” and opened a store. decided. Mr. Umeda says, "I've only come once in the past, but I never dreamed of opening a store in this place."

In addition to handmade items, he sells Indian hand-spun hand-woven "Kaddi" dresses, stalls, and original T-shirts, as well as antiques that Mr. Sato has traveled to all over Japan for 40 years and collected as a hobby. The organic T-shirts from Mitsuru Kogei (Kyoto), which is particular about dyeing using only natural dyes such as plant dyeing, is the first permanent exhibition sale in the Tohoku region.

The store uses three 10-tatami rooms, each divided into apparel, antiques, and sundries. The store has been made using old folk houses, such as a fitting room with a remodeled closet and an entrance made on the veranda, but it was said that almost no renovation was done when the store opened. "It was 80 years old, but the condition of the house was good. The wood used is also hiba, and I feel the spirit of an old craftsman," he said.

Mr. Umeda said, "I don't want to be a store just for selling things. There are many ideas such as opening workshops and gallery exhibitions. Because it is in the suburbs, I would like to offer coffee and tea to customers who come all the way. I'm putting it out. Please feel free to come and see me".

Business hours are from 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.