A new "sound space" in a Kyoto machiya townhouse begins
Shibashi is located in Okazaki, Kyoto, in a quiet residential area about a five-minute walk east of Heian Shrine. It quietly opened as a cafe and listening space in a traditional Japanese townhouse, with the concept of "a place with sound."
The cafe is run by Nakamura Shuichi, who runs the music label Traffic and has also been involved in the audiovisual art exhibition "AMBIENT KYOTO." Nakamura, who divides his time between Kyoto and Tokyo, renovated the roughly 100-year-old townhouse, saying, "I wanted to set my feet on the ground in Kyoto and set up a space." The cafe opened as a trial run in October 2023, hosting workshops and other planned events. Initially, the address was kept private and reservations were required, but the cafe has recently restarted as a cafe.
The shop has about 15 seats. The sliding doors and other surfaces are decorated with Nishijin Kamisoe paper. Records are also sold in one corner. 
A portion of the score for "In C" by Terry Riley, a representative composer of minimal music. The signature "for a while" is also in his calligraphy. 
Inside the store, there is a bulletin board-style display that lists upcoming events, announcements, and recommended spots around Shibashi.
So far, they have held a Ryuichi Sakamoto tribute project, a raga lesson by Terry Riley himself during his stay at Shibashi, and a field recording workshop.In addition, they have also held an event offering meals from Yamashokuon, run by Shibashi co-founder Takeshi Azuma, so their activities are quite diverse.
According to Nakamura, "I wanted to keep Shibashi as empty and colorless as possible, so that people could imagine it as a place for various events and exhibitions." Therefore, the interior of the store is free of unnecessary features, creating a space that allows the listener to focus on the sound. However, it does not feel cramped or tense. This may be due to the structure of a Kyoto machiya townhouse, which has a clear view of the garden.
Herbal tea and Japanese sweets with a bamboo forest as a backdrop
The background music during the interview was Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works Volume II." I savored this distorted masterpiece while drinking herbal tea on the tatami mat, accompanied by the sounds of nature (it was raining heavily at the time of the interview). It was so charming that it was a little embarrassing. However, the experience naturally prepared me for the music. With the bamboo forest in the garden as a backdrop, the soundscape that changes with the weather and seasons is definitely something I would recommend experiencing.
Seasonal herbal tea based on natural herbs is 600 yen. Amber sugar "Mineral Fruit" by Okashimaru and sesame-flavored baked confectionery "Hokorobi" are also available. A set of Japanese sweets and a drink is 1,600 yen. Other items include a special vegan tarte tatin from Okazaki's La Vature and a medium-dark roast Shibashi blend coffee from WOVEN. 
It's a special space where the sound of bamboo leaves blends with music. On the day of our visit, the sound of rain joined in, creating an ambient atmosphere.
All of the audio equipment in the alcove is Nakamura's personal property, a British-made vacuum tube audio system. The turntable is also known as a BBC purveyor. The speakers, which sit "like a refrigerator (lol)," are apparently the same models used by the Beatles and Pink Floyd as monitors during recordings. These British-made audio systems were created as an extension of the furniture at the time, and it's interesting how they fit seamlessly into the townhouse landscape.
The turntable is Garrard, the tube amplifier is LEAK, and the tubes are made by Mullard. They are characterized by a mellow sound. 
The audio system is entirely made in the UK, with speakers manufactured by LOCKWOOD.
Aiming for a public space with sound
The ideal is "a place to listen to music as a public space, a space that creates a space together with the customers." With that in mind, they have also set up a "JUKEBOX" where people can bring in their favorite records and listen to them. It is already not uncommon for small interactions to be sparked by someone's favorite record.
Now that we have easy access to a wide variety of music in a variety of situations, perhaps the ability to "listen" is being questioned more than ever. In this environment, why not take a moment to listen to a record?
