Young Japanese finds niche in coffee shop biz

A 23-year-old Japanese national is slowly carving a niche in the coffee shop industry in Cebu.

Shunki Matsushima’s Kawaii Café in P. del Rosario St., Cebu City  has become a favorite hang-out place for students and coffee lovers since it opened in August last year.

Shunki first came to Cebu as a student of English, but he said he fell in love with the Cebuanos and the freedom of being here, hence he put up the coffee shop shortly after.

“Ganahan ko puyo diri Cebu. People (are) friendly ba. I love the freedom, every time I walk in the streets, they are smiling. That is why ganahan ko puyo diri Cebu,” Shunki said in an interview with phliv.com.

Shunki said he has a coffee shop in Japan, which is being managed by a friend.

He said in his 10 months here he also met a Cebuana girlfiend, although they have been separated for months already.

“I came here to study, then I feel like, ‘Oh, I love here Cebu. I want to live here forever. I need to find uyab,” he said, laughing.

He said he is alone in Cebu with only Facebook friends as his allies. It is also from his Facebook friends that he sourced out his five staff to help him run the coffee shop.

Shunki has baristas who also cook the meals they serve at the coffee shop.

Kawaii Cebu's matcha Kitkat

Tayaki

Kawaii Cebu's pika rice

He said their best-sellers are their matcha drinks: the matcha Kitkat, matcha and matcha latte, and their smoothies. Their rice meals are also among the favorites, he said.

Kawaii Cebu’s omurice is not only a tasty combination of fried rice, egg and ham; it is also a visual treat, as it looks like a sleeping bear with the rice as the bear and the egg omelet as its blanket. The pika rice is also another bestseller. The rice, styled as Japanese’ famous Pikachu, hence pika, is tasty, Shunki said customers will always a repeat order on it. This meal comes with fried meat cuts and a side dish. The omurice and the pika rice are only P150 each.

Shunki said since he opened the shop, they have attracted several customers, most have become their regulars.

“Naa mi daghan regular customer. Balik-balik ba, mga students. And more come especially Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

He said the success of his business could be because their food and drinks are prepared by “experienced staff.” Also, he said they offer “very good customer service because people always want that”.

 Kawaii Café has several Japanese-inspired setting, where customers will have to sit on a raised platform. Each platform has a small low table, Japanese cartoon characters (stuffed toys) and outlets for charging of gadgets. There is also a free working wifi for three hours.

The shop is opens from 9a.m. to 11p.m. daily.

“I want people to stay here, that they become comfortable, so we have good air-con, fast wifi for them. And of course good food and drinks,” he said.