Connect with delicious rice What is "shibu rice" that saves the area? July 21, 15:06

The new coronavirus continues to cause difficulties for restaurants around the world. The city of Ebisu, Tokyo, with about 1500 restaurants, is no exception. Ebisu restaurants, local residents, and companies are connected with "bento" to search for the corona shock. The effect of corona seems to last forever. It may be a hint in other areas. (Keiko Sugasawa, Reporter, Ministry of Economic Affairs)

It's no good anymore... One after another

Kenji Takahashi is running around to support restaurants in the town of Ebisu. He is the editor-in-chief of the “Ebisu Shimbun”, which has been delivering WEB-related topics such as local restaurant information for over 10 years.

Seeing that the local restaurant, which has been crowded with many customers, is in a difficult situation, he thought, "I can't do nothing."

Mr. Takahashi
"I sometimes cried from a restaurant I knew and called me. It's no good anymore. In Ebisu, more than 30 restaurants have been closed since March, just as I know it. I have never seen such a scene.”

For the opportunity to connect children

Mr. Takahashi started doing what he could to fumble.

First, we opened the Ebisu Shimbun SNS account so that local restaurants could freely send information to the 20,000 followers of the "newspaper." The aim was to disseminate information to many readers that could not be delivered at individual stores.

In addition, seeing the increase in the number of restaurants that started taking out, from April, we will make a “takeout delivery map” and disseminate information.

Furthermore, in May during the declaration of an emergency, we started the “Children's Rice Project”. This is an attempt to have a local restaurant make a bento for children who can't go out and spend it at home for 300 yen per meal.

“It's hard to cook three meals for a child while working at home,
” says the reader's voice, “I'm happy if there are many takeouts for adults, so I would like to have children.”

However, since 300 yen per meal will not make any money, we have asked the readers to donate 3000 yen per unit and have it delivered to the restaurants that participated. The Yoritori restaurant in Ebisu, who participated in the project, said that he realized the gratitude of the local area.

Manager Hasegawa
“I was so angry that I couldn't do it anymore after the declaration of an emergency, but I continued to do whatever I could. Family members who bought a box lunch while doing so But on weekends, they came to the restaurant for food, and dad came to drink.Before Corona, I was only thinking about attracting customers, but now that I think that this work can contribute to the area, It has been a driving force to continue the store.''

Along the way, thankful reinforcements also appeared in the project.

I'm Rei Bendramé from Sun Rockers Shibuya, a professional basketball team based in Shibuya. He contributed 1 million yen in sales of 600 T-shirts designed by himself.

Rei Bendramé
“I wanted to do something for the children who are feeling sick after school holidays. If the children are happy, I can make their moms and adults happy. I originally wanted to make it. T-shirts can be made, fans are happy, and restaurants donated are also happy. I wanted to make Happy work together.”

What is the profitable mechanism? "Shibu rice" start

The “Children's Rice Project” was greatly influenced by local child-raising households and helped connect local residents with restaurants. However, it turned out that the sales at the restaurants were not solid and that the support measures were insufficient.

After the declaration of emergency has been lifted, it seems that it will take a considerable amount of time for customers to return to their stores as before. What should I do. Mr. Takahashi continues to search around the area.

Then, I came up with the "Shibu-me" project. It is a system where companies in Shibuya Ward around Ebisu regularly order a large amount (10 or more meals) of bento from a local restaurant. I thought of connecting a large number of customers called companies to restaurants and putting lunch sales on track.

In mid-July, the Ebisu wine bar delivered 12 hamburger curry bento boxes to a marketing company, which is a 5-minute walk.

Manager Kitamura
“If you order well, the work efficiency will be improved and it will be easier to operate. I have high expectations for the project.”

Mr. Yamaguchi
"It would be nice if fresh lunches were delivered from nearby shops. Especially if they serve local restaurants as well."

Mr. Takahashi hopes that the local box will be able to overcome the corona by connecting the local company and the restaurant with the bento.

By the end of this month, we plan to launch a special site that connects companies and stores to transfer orders, and now we are visiting companies and restaurants and calling for participation.

Frozen taste of Ebisu

I still have ideas. This is an attempt to sell the taste of Ebisu as frozen food. Frozen paella and meatballs are stored in a freezer in a certain place.

The other day, a chef from a Spanish restaurant in Ebisu traveled to a factory in Saitama prefecture where hygiene management was thorough, and made 100 meals of their proud meals, which were instantly frozen at -50°C.

You can enjoy the taste of the shop at home just by thawing. By having Takahashi and his colleagues purchase all of them when they are cooked, the restaurant will receive a solid income.

In addition to the Spanish restaurant, we will increase the types of Chinese restaurants such as Marbo tofu and Dantan noodles, and we would like to start sales in July.

To be a hub that connects the locals

However, when I was interviewing, I had one question. Takahashi-san hardly made any money himself, but the reason was why he did that for a restaurant.

Kenji Takahashi
“I have been taken care of by the city of Ebisu and I can't bear to see the people who have taken care of me. I believe that money will definitely come after me. I think we have to become a hub or a hub by making the best use of the personal connections of.. I wonder if it would be nice to have only one such person. I want to create a mechanism in the city of Ebisu.''

A grassroots attempt to overcome the corona crisis by discovering the potential of regional connections. I feel that it will be useful in other areas as well.

What kind of results will the series of efforts lead to? I will continue to check what information will be sent next from the Ebisu Shimbun.

Economy reporter
Sugasawa Keiko
2004. He joined
the current affiliation through the Sapporo stations