Opened 83 years ago. Orthodox cabaret nightclub running since the prewar years<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- For a long time, I have always wondered what Shiroi Bara was whenever I passed by. The old-fashioned exterior is unusual in Ginza.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It opened in 1931, making this its 83rd year. Many of our customers come here specifically for the old-fashioned climate.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So it\u2019s been here since before the war. That is quite a long time.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- My grandparents who are from Hiroshima came to Tokyo and started their business as a simple restaurant selling rice bowls with various toppings. They were apparently very good at cooking rice and even won first place in a rice-cooking contest. The business flourished and they were able to launch Shiroi Bara in a place one fourth the current size.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Amazing! I haven\u2019t been to many places with female hostesses. Your place is a cabaret nightclub, right? I believe these types of places were around in the olden days<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Ours is one of the few orthodox cabaret nightclubs that have kept its old-fashioned remnants. At the time of its founding, it was called a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n
It was mainstream at the time for caf\u00e9s to serve alcohol. So some places you see that have a sign saying \u201cJun Kissa\u201d (meaning \u201cpure caf\u00e9\u201d) are traces of a time when they were informing customers that this caf\u00e9 mostly served actual coffee, rather than alcohol.<\/p>\n
As the years went on, caf\u00e9s started hiring waitresses carefully selected for their cuteness, and the name of the establishment changed to \u201carubaito salon\u201d (meaning \u201cpart-time employee salon\u201d). This later evolved into the cabaret nightclub where men could come to have conversations with women they like.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- No kidding! So they were kind of like the \u201cMaid Kissa\u201d (a caf\u00e9 with waitresses dressed in cute maid costumes).<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, sort of like that (laughs). At the start of the Showa era (in the 1930s), there were few opportunities to meet women, and caf\u00e9s and these salons started popping up as types of amusement places. Our establishment followed this trend, taking on its current form.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_01.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_02.jpg\")
<\/p>\nShiroi Bara<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_03.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n240 employees. Have conversations about your home town with women that retain an amateur feel<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How many women work here?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- We currently have 240 employees. About 100 women come into work each day.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That many?! That\u2019s surprising.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Most are in their 20s, so I\u2019m often said I\u2019m like the principal of a girls only high school (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That\u2019s amazing that you can coordinate so many people. I am the producer of \u201c12 violinists,\u201d but even managing 12 people is too much for me (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Did you see the map of Japan on the outside wall? The names of the women working here are stuck on this map. Ginza has many customers who have come from outside Tokyo, so my father had the idea that giving them a chance to have conversations with women from their home region would make them feel amicable and relaxed.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Your place emphasizes the comfort of an amateur.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Few of our staff are experienced, and, for most of them, it is their first time as a hostess. Customers can talk to them in their native dialect and enjoy conversations about their local foods and festivals. Our sign out front has the phrase, \u201cAn entertainment center where the women are amateurs and you are popular.\u201d<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That\u2019s very amusing (laughs). What are your hiring criteria for hostesses?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- They must be neat and clean and have good posture.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh, then I would be perfect! I have tons of dresses. Would you hire me? (Laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Certainly. Please work here as a hostess for a day.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- When you get to be my age, you\u2019re happy to get called, so I would do it even if I have to pay (laughs).<\/p>\n
Do you have any really famous people among your client\u00e8le?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we have had many famous customers. We even had some authors waiting here for the announcement of the Naoki Prize.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- No kidding! This place is full of history.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_04.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMap of Japan on the Shiroi Bara exterior<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_05.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
\nYou can enjoy glamorous shows and dancing with live bands with a program that changes each month<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- At cabaret nightclubs, you can enjoy shows and dancing, right?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We put on a show twice daily. We create a new program each month, so our regular customers can continue enjoying them. We also have live bands. It is very glamorous.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What players are in the bands?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It is usually five players, including a lead guitar, bass, drums and sax. We usually have two bands, with a female singer in one. We have five female singers that change daily, with one who\u2019s great at jazz, one who\u2019s great at oldies, one who sings R&B that the young people are fond of these days, and so on, so our customers can enjoy themselves. Customers can sing karaoke along with live bands, which is very rare.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It\u2019s really amazing that the show program changes every month.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Turning a concept into a concrete program is quite difficult, but it is also very rewarding. It\u2019s all done manually, so we have a number of staff who move stairs and other large rigs, and it may seem a little old-fashioned, but we have events like golden oldie intro quizzes by the live band. We work very hard to keep our guests entertained.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It is really quite similar to my job. I do something special for each performance, like setting up a spot for touching the violins or coming down into the audience to let them hear me play right next to them. It\u2019s very important to remember to make sure the audience is having fun while you do your job.<\/p>\n
In addition to the entertainment, I heard that your food is also delicious.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We are known for always displaying our prices and for serving great food. Please try our famous pork cutlet sandwich.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- (Takes a bite) Oh, it\u2019s delicious! It\u2019s freshly cooked and very crispy! The meat is also nice and juicy.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- We fry it after receiving the order, so we can serve it piping hot. The sushi course and unlimited drinks course are also very popular. We want our customers to feel reassured by the reasonable prices, as much as possible.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Great food, glamorous shows\u2026 Sounds like a blast!<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, everyone who comes here feels uplifted.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_06.jpg\")
<\/p>\nShow dancers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_07.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFamous pork cutlet sandwich<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nWe want to treasure the old-fashioned atmosphere while maintaining a desire to make improvements<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Lastly, could you tell me your thoughts on Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Sure. Ginza has always been a place that is strongly admired by people coming from around the country. Constantly keeping in mind that we are being given the privilege of doing business in Ginza leads to a desire to continuously improve the service.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- As the third-generation president, have you inherited a certain work ethic from your father?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- My father taught me that even if I\u2019m just walking around, if I step into Ginza, I must reposition my hat and make sure my tie is straight. He said that this is the type of place Ginza is. So I feel that running a long-established cabaret in Ginza means that I must have pride in this district and provide high-quality service without fail.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Maintaining a retro atmosphere while always taking on new challenges. You\u2019re very thorough.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Doing business in Ginza means I must be thorough. I want to continue creating a space that treasures an old-fashioned atmosphere but is fun for customers every time they come. I want to link the Shiroi Bara passed down from our predecessors to the next generation.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_08.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThe next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Could you tell us about the next guest?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It\u2019s Masahiro Kameoka, director of the Namiki Building company. He currently works hard both night and day for the sake of Ginza, acting as both chairman of the Ginza Merchant\u2019s Association and volunteering in the local fire corps to protect the Ginza community.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_35_09.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nChisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- For a long time, I have always wondered what Shiroi Bara was whenever I passed by. The old-fashioned exterior is unusual in Ginza.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It opened in 1931, making this its 83rd year. Many of our customers come here specifically for the old-fashioned climate.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So it\u2019s been here since before the war. That is quite a long time.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- My grandparents who are from Hiroshima came to Tokyo and started their business as a simple restaurant selling rice bowls with various toppings. They were apparently very good at cooking rice and even won first place in a rice-cooking contest. The business flourished and they were able to launch Shiroi Bara in a place one fourth the current size.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Amazing! I haven\u2019t been to many places with female hostesses. Your place is a cabaret nightclub, right? I believe these types of places were around in the olden days<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Ours is one of the few orthodox cabaret nightclubs that have kept its old-fashioned remnants. At the time of its founding, it was called a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n
It was mainstream at the time for caf\u00e9s to serve alcohol. So some places you see that have a sign saying \u201cJun Kissa\u201d (meaning \u201cpure caf\u00e9\u201d) are traces of a time when they were informing customers that this caf\u00e9 mostly served actual coffee, rather than alcohol.<\/p>\n
As the years went on, caf\u00e9s started hiring waitresses carefully selected for their cuteness, and the name of the establishment changed to \u201carubaito salon\u201d (meaning \u201cpart-time employee salon\u201d). This later evolved into the cabaret nightclub where men could come to have conversations with women they like.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- No kidding! So they were kind of like the \u201cMaid Kissa\u201d (a caf\u00e9 with waitresses dressed in cute maid costumes).<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, sort of like that (laughs). At the start of the Showa era (in the 1930s), there were few opportunities to meet women, and caf\u00e9s and these salons started popping up as types of amusement places. Our establishment followed this trend, taking on its current form.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
Shiroi Bara<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n240 employees. Have conversations about your home town with women that retain an amateur feel<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How many women work here?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- We currently have 240 employees. About 100 women come into work each day.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That many?! That\u2019s surprising.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Most are in their 20s, so I\u2019m often said I\u2019m like the principal of a girls only high school (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That\u2019s amazing that you can coordinate so many people. I am the producer of \u201c12 violinists,\u201d but even managing 12 people is too much for me (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Did you see the map of Japan on the outside wall? The names of the women working here are stuck on this map. Ginza has many customers who have come from outside Tokyo, so my father had the idea that giving them a chance to have conversations with women from their home region would make them feel amicable and relaxed.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Your place emphasizes the comfort of an amateur.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Few of our staff are experienced, and, for most of them, it is their first time as a hostess. Customers can talk to them in their native dialect and enjoy conversations about their local foods and festivals. Our sign out front has the phrase, \u201cAn entertainment center where the women are amateurs and you are popular.\u201d<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That\u2019s very amusing (laughs). What are your hiring criteria for hostesses?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- They must be neat and clean and have good posture.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh, then I would be perfect! I have tons of dresses. Would you hire me? (Laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Certainly. Please work here as a hostess for a day.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- When you get to be my age, you\u2019re happy to get called, so I would do it even if I have to pay (laughs).<\/p>\n
Do you have any really famous people among your client\u00e8le?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we have had many famous customers. We even had some authors waiting here for the announcement of the Naoki Prize.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- No kidding! This place is full of history.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
Map of Japan on the Shiroi Bara exterior<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
\nYou can enjoy glamorous shows and dancing with live bands with a program that changes each month<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- At cabaret nightclubs, you can enjoy shows and dancing, right?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We put on a show twice daily. We create a new program each month, so our regular customers can continue enjoying them. We also have live bands. It is very glamorous.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What players are in the bands?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It is usually five players, including a lead guitar, bass, drums and sax. We usually have two bands, with a female singer in one. We have five female singers that change daily, with one who\u2019s great at jazz, one who\u2019s great at oldies, one who sings R&B that the young people are fond of these days, and so on, so our customers can enjoy themselves. Customers can sing karaoke along with live bands, which is very rare.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It\u2019s really amazing that the show program changes every month.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Turning a concept into a concrete program is quite difficult, but it is also very rewarding. It\u2019s all done manually, so we have a number of staff who move stairs and other large rigs, and it may seem a little old-fashioned, but we have events like golden oldie intro quizzes by the live band. We work very hard to keep our guests entertained.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It is really quite similar to my job. I do something special for each performance, like setting up a spot for touching the violins or coming down into the audience to let them hear me play right next to them. It\u2019s very important to remember to make sure the audience is having fun while you do your job.<\/p>\n
In addition to the entertainment, I heard that your food is also delicious.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. We are known for always displaying our prices and for serving great food. Please try our famous pork cutlet sandwich.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- (Takes a bite) Oh, it\u2019s delicious! It\u2019s freshly cooked and very crispy! The meat is also nice and juicy.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- We fry it after receiving the order, so we can serve it piping hot. The sushi course and unlimited drinks course are also very popular. We want our customers to feel reassured by the reasonable prices, as much as possible.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Great food, glamorous shows\u2026 Sounds like a blast!<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes, everyone who comes here feels uplifted.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
Show dancers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\nFamous pork cutlet sandwich<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nWe want to treasure the old-fashioned atmosphere while maintaining a desire to make improvements<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Lastly, could you tell me your thoughts on Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Sure. Ginza has always been a place that is strongly admired by people coming from around the country. Constantly keeping in mind that we are being given the privilege of doing business in Ginza leads to a desire to continuously improve the service.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- As the third-generation president, have you inherited a certain work ethic from your father?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- My father taught me that even if I\u2019m just walking around, if I step into Ginza, I must reposition my hat and make sure my tie is straight. He said that this is the type of place Ginza is. So I feel that running a long-established cabaret in Ginza means that I must have pride in this district and provide high-quality service without fail.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Maintaining a retro atmosphere while always taking on new challenges. You\u2019re very thorough.<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- Yes. Doing business in Ginza means I must be thorough. I want to continue creating a space that treasures an old-fashioned atmosphere but is fun for customers every time they come. I want to link the Shiroi Bara passed down from our predecessors to the next generation.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
The next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Could you tell us about the next guest?<\/dd>\n
- Osumi<\/dt>\n
- It\u2019s Masahiro Kameoka, director of the Namiki Building company. He currently works hard both night and day for the sake of Ginza, acting as both chairman of the Ginza Merchant\u2019s Association and volunteering in the local fire corps to protect the Ginza community.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n