Rutten_ aims to create a new type of store in Okachimachi.

Cities generally prosper in the western part of the city. In Tokyo, Shinjuku and Shibuya on the west side of the Yamanote Line are prosperous, and in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Santa Monica west of downtown are prosperous (most other cities are like that as well).

When the west side becomes saturated and land prices rise, the east side will in turn prosper. This is exactly what is happening in Tokyo today. In the past few years, many hot culture spots have opened in East Tokyo.

RUTTEN_ was born in 2018 as a cafe in such a booming area. At first, it was mainly a café, operating quietly, but last year it was reopened with a new concept and a new look.

The owner of this store is the owner of an eyewear store in Aoyama calledBlinc vaseTakashi Araoka, who manages the

So since its rebirth, the store has become a chaotic place, selling eyeglasses in the storefront, displaying local toys, a long-time hobby, and serving unique lemon sours.

From here, Mr. Araoka will explain "Rutten_" in his own words.

Born in 1975. Born in Tokyo. With his brother, Toshiyuki, he launched the eyewear select store "blinc" in 2002. After working as a producer of "blinc base", he opened "Rutten_" in 2018. Currently, he handles everything from customer service to serving customers at the "Rutten_" storefront.@rutten_ueno5

You have glasses, local toys, and lemon sours, so you are quite diversified (laughs).

Araoka: When we opened, we had neither local toys nor glasses. However, since I was the owner of "Blink," I started selling eyeglasses along the way.

Was the lemon sour originally there?

Araoka：We have been serving lemon sour at night since we opened. At that time, we only had 5 kinds of lemon sour on the menu, but now we have 31 kinds.

31 kinds? Just lemon sours?

Araoka: Yes (laughs). We recently completed our 32nd type.

By the way, what kind of menu did you use?

Araoka: My name is BJJ Lemon Sour. BJJ is taken from the letters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Each of the lemon sours at Rutten_ has a different flavor, and each has a unique name.

Araoka：As for BJJ Lemon Sour, first of all, it is based on "cachaça," a popular Brazilian liquor similar to rum. Then we mix it with homemade lemon syrup made by soaking Meyer lemons in cane sugar and homemade coffee syrup made by boiling deep-roasted coffee with spices. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a style that was created when Japanese jiu-jitsu spread in Brazil. The lemon sour was also born in Japan, and because we use the Brazilian elements of sake and coffee in it, we named it BJJ Lemon Sour.

I see that there is some background behind the unique menu names. There is a menu item called "Lemon Sour after Sauna.

Araoka：Because of the location, people often come here after returning from the famous sauna restaurant "Nordic. I thought it would be nice to have a menu that they could enjoy.

What kind of menu do you have?

Araoka: Oropo is a sauna, but I made a lemon sour to replace it. It is a gin-based homemade lemon liquor with just the right amount of lemon juice to give it a refreshing taste.

Other menu items include "Lemon Sour after returning from a public bath" and "Muay Thai Lemon Sour," which at first glance one can't imagine what they might taste like.

Araoka: We have 32 such menu items (laughs). (laughs) So I hope you can enjoy a different flavor every day, like an Everyday Lemon Sour. I am usually at the store, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

In addition to lemon sours, you also sell local toys and glasses.

Araoka: I have always loved to collect toys, and my love for them has led me to become a member of the "Japan Folk Toys Association. There are still many unknown artists and local toys all over Japan, and there are no stores in Tokyo that properly select and sell them, so I decided to start my own.

Do you have any recommendations?

¥4,620, a lemon-sour bear by Fumoto; ¥3,080, a kappa wearing glasses by HARICOGRAPHY; ¥2,200, various animals holding lemon sours by habotan.

Araoka: These were made as a special order for "Rutten_". They are all up-and-coming artists who incorporate modern sensibilities and contexts while taking advantage of the good qualities of traditional crafts. This smiling view of the world is now becoming popular.

Do you have any criteria for selecting local toys?

Araoka: There are quite a few local toys that are similar to each other, so I try to collect toys with different tastes. Also, there are very few places that display old and new artists in the same row. So at "Rutten_" we hope to convey the best of both worlds.

Last but not least, the glasses. The items placed here were selected by Mr. Araoka, right?

Filton's concept is "glasses that look like works of art. Based on Sabae City's eyeglass manufacturing technology, the company's delicate and beautiful designs, which resemble paintings, are rapidly gaining attention.

Araoka: Yes, that's right. Currently, many of our products are manufactured in Japan. Recently, we have started dealing with an up-and-coming Japanese brand "Filton. While following European vintage design, they produce original parts in the shape of buttons and sewing needles, and incorporate these parts into the frames to create glasses with a sense of fun.

Both lemon sours and local toys are things that cannot be mass-produced. Glasses are also themed on such craftsmanship, with items that show the warmth of human hands.

I think there might be customers who get drunk on lemon sours and say, "Let me put on my glasses! I'm sure there will be customers who get drunk on lemon sours and say, "Let me put on my glasses!

Araoka：No one is that violent (laughs), but men, especially, seem to want to look at their glasses when they start drinking lemon sours, and quite a few people buy them as is. As you can imagine, you can't have an eye test when you are drunk, so we ask them to come back at a later date for that. And this is not so well known, but Okachimachi is a town of glasses.

What do you mean?

Araoka: There have always been eyeglass factories and wholesalers, and there is even a monument to eyeglasses at Shinobazu no Ike.

I didn't know that.

Araoka: Actually, my own parents have had an eyeglass shop in this area for generations, and my grandfather's name is even engraved on the monument.

Mr. Araoka, you are a true thoroughbred in the glasses business, aren't you? I suppose that is part of your background, but why did you start here in Okachimachi and not in the Aoyama area where Brink's is located?

Araoka: This location in particular is where I was born and raised, in the area where my grandfather started his business. I have been working in Aoyama for a long time, and that was a lot of fun, but now I want to create a place where local people can enjoy themselves, even if only a little.

Do you think this area will become as exciting as Kuramae and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa in the future?

Araoka：First of all, what I found out by working here is that there are people who do not want to go to Aoyama or Shibuya, but prefer to shop on the east side of the city. I would like to introduce to these people more of the things that I think are good, such as eyeglasses, toys, and so on.

Also, some of my old friends run camera shops and photo galleries, and I talk with them about how it would be great if we could make it like a photography town. It's not a grassroots movement, but I hope that small steps will add up to create an interesting place that has never existed before, with the help of everyone's efforts.

Text_Keisuke Kimura
Photo_Hiroyuki Takenouchi