Oh Young-seok, 71, honorary chairperson of the Shinjuku Korean Merchants Association. Two decades after the start of Japan’s Korea craze, Shin-Okubo in Tokyo, an area with many Korean restaurants and shops, continues to attract fans of Korean pop culture and food, particularly young people.
© Yomiuri ShimbunVoices
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What’s in vogue now is ‘kape’ (the Korean word for cafe). Cafes are popping up one after another in locations where houses used to stand.
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5 Comments
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Pokus Hokus
Trends never really last long in japan. Remember the boba craze from 2018 ? Just one year layer most of the shops had closed down again.
beachcomber
I love how Shin Okubo is evolving and people enjoying the Korean culture in central Tokyo. We can enjoy Shin Okubo as a sightseeing place.
Redemption
Interesting how coffee whooped green tea as a super beverage.
wallace
Shin-Okubo was the first place where I lived after arriving here. Not many Koreans then or the Hahal shop.
Elvis is here
I learnt how to make kimchi in Shin Okubo.