[Otaru Showroom This and That]

In this issue, I would like to share with you some small discoveries about the Otaru Showroom that I found while working there.

Let's start with entering the building. Take the road along the canal, and when you reach the Kyowa Hama Building with its pale blue exterior wall, open the door marked "OFFICE" on the right side of the entrance of the Chinese restaurant "Hao" and proceed. Take the stairs up to the fourth floor, which is quite good exercise. Enjoy the texture of the stone and the design of the handrail as you slowly and leisurely make your way up. Finally, you arrive at the showroom.

The doorknob on the door of the room. The gold color looks great against the chic dark brown door, but it is also tasteful that the plating has peeled off and faded with use. Looking closely at the keyhole, it is interesting to see the obvious difference in the degree of use between the outside and the inside.

The wooden floor spreads out as you step into the room. The occasional "creaking" sound when you walk on it is so pleasant that it makes you want to walk around for no reason at all. It is also interesting to note that there are parts where different pieces of wood have been spliced together and nail heads that are missing in most parts of the house, indicating that the house has been modified several times. Personally, I am very interested in the round marks that can be found in several places along the walls. I wonder what kind of things were placed there? I can't help but imagine what the room might have looked like in the past.

The most attractive point of this room is the large arched window. The semi-circular part at the top is made of light blue, pink, and orange-tinted glass, which reflects the light and glitters beautifully on a sunny day. After the sun goes down, it has a slightly different beauty than in the daytime. The window frames, which are the same color as the doors, are also beautiful. The double-paned windows may be a feature of the cold northern climate.

Raising your eyes a little higher, you can't miss the lampshades hanging from the ceiling. The soft orange light, not too bright, seems to enhance the atmosphere of the room.

And the fixtures on which the products are displayed are also full of charm. My personal favorite is the telephone stand displaying the Otera Kohachiro Shoten's Mini Eto Series. The telephone that was placed here somewhere, somewhere, may have been a black telephone, which is rarely seen anymore. The telephone stand, where one might have opened a thick telephone directory and turned the dial, is now lined with very cute animals. Which is your favorite?

Shokunin.com has five showrooms in Japan, located in Imadegawa, Sanjo, Ginza, Wakamatsu, and Otaru, each in a wonderful historical building. In addition to enjoying the gems on display, you may also discover something wonderful when you take a look at the details of the rooms that surround them. It is quite enjoyable to think about the history of a room, wondering what kind of people used to gather there and what kind of time they used to spend there.

The Otaru Showroom also has benches and chairs by the windows. You can take a break, take a picture, or just admire the room and the view. We hope you will sit back and spend your time as you wish. We look forward to seeing you at our showroom.

Otaru Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/otaru.html