[Komae Special Feature Part 2] What kind of town is “Komae”?I tried eating at a restaurant recommended by a dormitory student.

The previous[Komae Special Feature Part 1]Then, we went undercover inside the Komae International House building for an interview.

I understand that the dormitory itself is stylish and wonderful!

However, if the town isn't cool, the appeal of the dormitory will be halved. What kind of city you live in is so important.

As I wrote in the previous article, I visited Komae over 10 years ago. However, I am not impressed at all. For example, there are no strong symbols such as the Saigo Takamori statue in Ueno or the Moai statue in Shibuya, and there are also many people who think of Osaka as takoyaki, Kagoshima with potato shochu, and Nagasaki with Champon. There is no image of such a specialty or specialty product. To put it bluntly, it is a city that is characterized by its lack of easily recognizable characteristics.

When I searched for Komae City on Wikipedia, I found ``Known as the second smallest city in Japan"it is written like this. It's the second one, which is a bit of a shame.

However, when I asked the three dormitory residents who showed me around Komae International House about Komae,Not only is she not bad, she seems to really like this city.is. If older people like a calmer city, it makes sense. However, these three are extremely young. Are you okay? Are you not being strong?

What exactly is Komae's charm? ? ?

So, I asked three people to guide me and explore the city to show me the charms of Komae that you might not be able to see from the outside.

XNUMX-Eleven next door! !

It's not just a convenience store. Japan's king of convenience stores, XNUMX-Eleven, is just around the corner! It's so close that XNUMX-Eleven seems like a shared dormitory facility.

Miyoshi Dango

One or two doors down from 1-Eleven.Miyoshi Dango”. When I passed by, there was a line of several people, and there were very few products in the showcase.

Mr. Matsumoto:Dango no Miyoshi is a very popular shop, and the soba they make sells well.Not only the dango, but also the futomaki and sushi are delicious.

Interview team: That's why there weren't that many products in the showcase! I just saw freshly made futomaki being bought in a frenzy.

Mr. Matsumoto: They are so popular that if you don't line up in the morning, depending on the product, the amount that can be made that day will sell out quickly and you won't be able to get it anymore.

Popular stores with long lines are also nearby.

You can eat it yourself. It can also be used as a souvenir for family and friends.

In front of Komae Station

physicallyArrive at the station square in about 1 minute on foot.

The station building is more impressive than I expected.

station building

According to the website, there are 33 tenants in the station building, including Odakyu OX, Shimamura, and Nojima.

You can probably get most of your errands done just at XNUMX-Eleven and the station building.

Mizuho Bank Komae Branch

Mizuho Bank building is located opposite the station building. If you end up living in Komae International House, it would be convenient to open an account at Mizuho Bank since it's close by and large.

As I was walking along the road, I came across a billboard that really caught my eye!

No matter how you look at it, it's a handmade signboard, but it stands out in a strange way.

Since it is along the road, there are other signboards on the street, but this one wins by far in terms of visibility.

OREG-A-YUTAKA

This is the shop with the mapo tofu sign. Stylish appearance!

Matsumoto: This is a new store, so I haven't been there yet. But I'm really curious about mapo tofu.

Interview team: I really want to try the mapo tofu here too!

I see. Since it's a new store, they may not be up to speed on signage production yet. But I want that sign to remain.

hair salon haku.

It wouldn't be strange if there was one in Daikanyama.A hair salon with a sophisticated appearance.

Kita-san and Seishin-san: This is the shop where we get our hair cut.

Certainly, if there was such a sophisticated hair salon nearby, there would be no need to take the train and go to a fashionable beauty salon in the city center.

Italian restaurant pitatti

This restaurant was recommended to me by three of my dorm residents.

As you can see, it has a stylish and calming appearance.

Interview team: From the looks of it, this restaurant definitely looks delicious.

Kita-san: Of course the taste is exquisite, but this restaurant...Komae International House OfLimited discount for dormitory residentsThree of our dormitory residents work part-time here, and ourShops with deep connections to dormitoriesWhat is it?

Matsumoto-san: Next time, we are planning to have you cooperate with us for an event in the dormitory.

Reporting team: We have covered various dormitories, but this is the first time we have seen a connection between a dormitory and a local shop. It's a good connection for both the store and the dormitory students.

Everyone was getting hungry so we decided to have lunch at "pitatti".

What a great atmosphere! !

The interior does not disappoint with its stylish exterior and has a wonderful atmosphere.

There was a sense of calm, like being in a hideout, and it felt like you were in a different space, completely different from the cityscape outside.

There is a pizza oven in the kitchen. The owner and chef, Mr. Takano, is kneading the pizza dough in front of him.

It's great for family meals, dates, friends, or even eating alone at the counter without any hesitation. I think it would be great if there was a store like this in my neighborhood.

The menu is full of things that will whet your appetite.

I want to eat them all! We ordered as much as we could all eat.

I can't stop being excited even while I'm waiting.

Let's start with salad!

beautiful! The freshness and brightness that only fresh vegetables can bring is dazzling!

Grilled Shimonita green onions

Green onions smell so good! And it's sweet because it's slowly baked!

Margherita! !

Because the ingredients are simple, Margherita doesn't require any cheating. This one is definitely delicious too! !

The aroma of oven-baking. Long live Italy!

All of them were so delicious that everyone reached out for them the moment they were brought to the table.

Everyone was so absorbed in eating that they continued to silently bring the food to their mouths.

Peperoncino with a heaping amount of whitebait!

Needless to say, the pasta is also delicious. The good thing about Italian food is that it goes perfectly with Japanese ingredients.

Honey trout chicken!

A masterpiece with the sweetness and stimulation of honey mustard. The chicken is also juicy!

Authentic carbonara!

Carbonara, which is commonly known in Japan, is a sauce made from egg yolks and fresh cream, but the authentic version doesn't use fresh cream.

Panna cotta!

Dessert is panna cotta! At first there's the aroma of caramel, then a hint of sweetness. ``Wow, it's not very sweet,'' I thought, and then the sweetness and aroma suddenly spread out in the final aftertaste. I don't know what the trick is, but you can enjoy three levels of flavor in one bite. Even I, who don't like sweet things, was very impressed with this dish.

Finally, we took a commemorative photo in front of the store.

Man, I really wish this store existed near my house.

This famous restaurant is a must-visit for those living in Komae and those in the surrounding area!

It seems like it's a stealth marketing scheme because it's been praised so highly, but I haven't received a single yen from pitatti.

Summary

The first half of walking around Komae is over.

From just the first half of the trip, I found out that life is convenient enough, and there are also fashionable shops and gourmet food.

Surprisingly, all the spots introduced in the first half are within 500 meters of Komae International House! It may seem like there's nothing there, but it's a really convenient town. Continuing to the second half!

[Komae Special Feature Part 3] What kind of town is “Komae”? Stroll around town to the other side of the station (south exit area).

Continue to.

(Text: Tanaka Bunko/Photograph: Kaihei Akioka/Editor: Yasuhiro Nishi)

*The undergraduate year and content in the article are as of the time of reporting in November 2023.

I want to read it as well

[Komae Special Feature Part 1] A modest but perfectly balanced city where you can live! I went undercover to investigate “Komae International House”!

[Komae Special Feature Part 3] What kind of town is “Komae”? Stroll around town to the other side of the station (south exit area).