"Craft & Cafe Raito (light)" (Owani-cho, Minamitsugaru-gun, TEL 0172-55-0448 ) opened on November 23rd in front of JR Owani Onsen Station.

The shop was started by Itsuki Mizuguchi and Yui Osanai, who moved to Owani from Aomori and belong to "Owani Town Development Shosha". The store was rented from the Yamazaki Souvenir Shop, which has been in operation since 1960, and has been renovated into a complex store that offers coffee and apple pies, as well as Aomori crafts and miscellaneous goods.

Mr. Mizuguchi was a company employee in Aomori, but when he moved, he quit the company and became the store manager of Light. He continues to work as an illustrator as a side job, and in addition to decorating his own illustrations in the store, he is in charge of the store logo and original drip bag illustrations.

Mr. Osanai was also working as a company employee in Aomori, but he left the company and was helping out at the cafe "one up coffee" (Aomori City) when he was asked to open a store. “I wanted to open a cafe,” said Mr. Osanai, who decided to emigrate.

The two had never been to Owani, but began living there and agreed that it was a nice town. “It suits me,” said Mizuguchi. Mr. Osanai said, "When I was preparing for the event, children on their way home from school greeted me. I was surprised because I hadn't experienced anything like that in Aomori, but I have a warm relationship with people."

Behind the opening of the store was the activity of "Owani Town Development Shosha". The company, which was founded in 2020 (Reiwa 2), investigated the continuity of Owani's business. There are six businesses that have had difficulty surviving due to aging and lack of successors, and "Yamazaki Souvenir Shop" is one of them. It was decided to start in the form of a “landlord collaboration type / business succession store”.

The menu offers "Apple Pie" and "Apple Crumble Pie" (432 yen) using Owani apples and hand drip coffee (450 yen) using one-up coffee beans. do. Currently, it is only takeout, but an eat-in space will also be prepared.

Mr. Mizuguchi says, "I want to create a restaurant that can take root in the community for a long time." Mr. Osanai says, "The name of the store has the meaning of shining light on the large crocodile and renting a room on the right side of the store. I want to aim for a store that can liven up the large crocodile that I like."

Business hours are from 9:00 to 18:00. Closed Thursdays.