episode-7

The street of Hanoi has a parade of LED signboards designed to attract motorcyclists.

There is an elderly Vietnamese man whom I greet whenever I meet him. He is probably about 75 to 80 years old.
The Vietnam War ended in 1975. I can feel his aura of surviving through the harsh times can be felt.

He is very vigorous.

I want you to look at the picture. This is the entrance to the cafe.
This “ARIGATOU” signboard was made by using Japanese brush, and also it was designed in Japan.
Moreover, it was made by a Japanese interior decorator in Hanoi.
I thought it turned out good.

One day, the old man I introduced at the beginning of this story was standing in front of a signboard, spreading his hands wide to the left and right and saying something, trying his best to convey something.
From the gestures, he said "The sign is too small! Make it bigger! It won't stand out!"
I laughed unintentionally. He was right.
Stores in Vietnam have a parade of LED signboards.
Sighboards are placed in front of the store so as to be visible to motorcyclists passing by. The karaoke clubs in town are gorgeous, and the entire road surface of the building is covered with LED lights.
It's so different from Japan!

The energy and vibrancy of this country has an impact and strength that is as strong as the LED billboards spread along the roads.

For Vietnamese people, who take such signs for granted, the signboard of the ARIGATOU Cafe is not noticeable at all.
This is the signboard representing Japan. This design is perfect for this cafe.
I tried to explain to the old man, but as a Japanese who only knows Vietnamese words such as xin chao (hello), phai (right), and trai (left), it was impossible to have a conversation with him.

I decided to do something about it, and found a bamboo basket next to the signboard.
I arranged a flower in a Japanese style.
I was hoping that an old man passing by the store would say something to me, but he didn't say anything to me after that, probably because he thought I was not worth talking to.
A while after the opening, I placed tables and chairs at the entrance, and as a final touch, I brought in a bright red Japanese umbrella from Japan to use as an eye-catcher for the Nodate (an outdoor) tea ceremony.
Some groups of young Vietnamese women come to our stores.

Sometimes they find the single flower next to the ARIGATOU Cafe signboard and huddle around it to take a picture of it.
Smiling flowers boom.I can only thank them for noticing that there was the flower at the entrance.

From the perspective of Japan's aging society, there is one thing that I cannot help but envy.
The city is filled with young energy. No matter what they do, they are always full of energy.