Let me introduce you to Miki’s: a back-street bar off the beaten path of Shibuya City in the trendy, quiet neighborhood of Hatagaya. This is a place that welcomed me to Tokyo as a new resident thanks to its vibrant, international community, the heartwarming food and drink menu, and, of course, Miki-san herself, the titular barkeep whose prowess as a cook is matched with a unique skill of making sure every patron feels a part of the conversation, regardless of language or background. Whether you're a Tokyo resident looking for a nice night of conversation or a tourist looking for an English-friendly bar, Miki's is the place to be.
The menu stems out of Miki-san’s own experience as a vegetarian and centers around fresh, local fish and veggies. On “Veggie Wednesdays,” come into Miki’s for a veggie plate piled high with multiple dishes which give you a taste of Japanese home cooking and seasonal Japanese vegetables—many of which I had never had before visiting Miki’s. You’ll also find Japanese izakaya staples like karaage (fried chicken) and gyoza dumplings as well, so you can be sure that you’ll find something to your liking. There is also a rotational drink menu with seasonal favorites like fresh lemon sours, regional specialities like Okinawa awamori, and more.
At Miki’s, Miki-san creates an atmosphere which welcomes both community members and newcomers alike for healthy food, delicious drinks, and instant camaraderie. I spoke to her about how she started the restaurant and bar, how her positive and forward-thinking philosophy informs her work, and the future of Miki’s. Before you visit, get to know Miki a little bit more through the interview below!
Interview
What led you to open Miki’s?
I grew up in Japan and lived abroad for a long time as a young adult working in the hospitality industry in Scotland in the US. When I came back to Japan, I worked as a care worker for elderly, but I had a dream to open a restaurant that was a little more personal and smaller in scale. I wanted my place to be somewhere where customers and I could know each other's names.
At that point, I was in a really positive place—probably the peak of my positivity in life at that point. It stemmed out of a desire to make myself strong both physically and spiritually through a pure, healthy diet. I was vegetarian at the time, and I hadn’t been drinking alcohol for about 5 or 6 years. I believe that if you are taking care of your body and soul, you can really focus on the world around you. I knew where my positivity was coming from, and I wanted to share that philosophy with others. All of these things contributed to my idea to open a cafe.
At first, I was called Miki’s Art Cafe, because I was mostly serving breakfast, baked goods, and vegetarian lunches from early morning to the afternoon. The cooking came naturally to me, but turning it into a business was tough for the first few years. I added meat and alcohol to the menu and stayed open in the evening, which helped shift the business outlook. This also changed the demographic and helped grow the local community. It was really the community accepting me and my concept that helped Miki’s grow and thrive.
What is the role of community in Miki’s?
When I was doing morning cafe, the customers were mostly local elderly people who came in during the day. I felt a connection to my time as a care worker, which I had really enjoyed. I was also running an AirBNB for foreign tourists, and they could come to the cafe for their provided meals as part of their stay. I found that they and the locals really liked interacting with each other, and I could help them by interpreting over the language barrier.
Later, when Miki’s changed to more of a bar, I started doing more events and activities which helped bring in younger generations. I found that a lot of people came in alone looking for community and connection, and Miki’s became a place where, when you visit, you have to communicate with others. This helped bring it to the place it’s at today.
How did the pandemic affect Miki’s and the community?
Actually, COVID helped bring us all together. I started visiting people in the local community, especially those living alone, and bringing food, drinks, and a bit of conversation. Likewise, a lot of locals ordered food from me, which helped me stay afloat during that time. We would communicate online and bring supplies when someone got sick. Tokyo is a city where it’s easy to isolate yourself and get lost to the people around you, but the community here helped everyone, me included, to stay present and active. We relied on each other, and it helped strengthen our bonds.
When did you start doing vegetarian meals on Wednesdays?
Veggie Wednesday started because of my food delivery service during the pandemic. One family who had taken a liking to my vegetarian meals asked me to start delivering them every Wednesday, and I did that every week for a couple of years. When other people caught on, I ended up delivering Veggie Wednesday plates to 7 or 8 households a week. This also inspired me to publish a recipe book online called “Veggie Wednesday” with the help of one of my regulars who works in publishing.
Where do you get your ingredients?
Sourcing the ingredients is very important for me. When I first opened, I searched for farmers I could partner with. I wanted to promote sustainability by buying vegetables which were perfectly good but might not be fit for sale and thereby go to waste. I found a farmer in Sagamihara, visited his farm, and we started working together. He sends me shipments of veggies twice a month, and I also visit a local market for the fresh fish that I use in a lot of my cooking.
The ingredients help guide my cooking. I have always really loved the unique seasonality of Japanese food, and I use the ingredients directly from the farmer and from local markets both on Veggie Wednesdays and throughout the week.
Having just celebrated the 9th anniversary of opening, what is in the future for Miki’s?
The anniversary celebration in June was a great time to thank the people who have supported me throughout the years, especially all of those from the local community. I want to keep expanding, especially by opening my door to more and more tourists who come from all over the world. Whether as a service worker, tour guide, or in the field of hospitality, I have always enjoyed working with people, and tourists bring great energy to Miki’s for both myself and the locals. By continuing to welcome more people in, the positive energy I hope to share through Miki’s will only grow and flourish even more.
Visit Miki's in Hatagaya, Shibuya - English Friendly Bar and Vegetarian Meals in Tokyo
Opening Hours
Tu-Sat (17:00-24:00)
Access
Miki's is located a ten-minute walk away from Hatagaya Station on the Keio New Line.
Commentaires