This video is Part 1 of Episode 6, featuring Mr. Kyogoku from the coffee shop “Papa Noel” in Joyful Minnowa Shopping Street. The shop name “Papa Noel” means Santa Claus in French and Spanish, and has been used since the shop opened 45 years ago. In the early days, the shop didn’t have the recognition it has today, and there were challenging times in running the business. However, they have continued operating in the same style since the Showa era. Today, it has become a beloved coffee shop cherished by many regular customers and serves as a place for local residents to exchange information.
Host (Ishizaki) 0:00
Oh, this is amazing! It’s in a bottle!
Mr. Kyogoku 0:05
Yes, yes. Amazing.
Host (Ishizaki) 0:09
Hello everyone, hello. This is the Joyful Minnowa Shopping Street official channel, Episode 6.
This time as well, we have Director Fuku…
Host (Takasugi) 0:20
Takasugi and
Host (Ishizaki) 0:21
Secretary Ishizaki bringing you this program. Thank you very much for watching.
This program introduces hidden gems in Joyful and attractive shop owners that other TV information programs don’t feature.
Today we’re at Papa Noel, located in the middle of Joyful Minnowa! Thank you for having us. This is the owner, Mr. Kyogoku. Thank you very much.
Mr. Kyogoku 0:52
Thank you very much.
Host (Ishizaki) 0:55
This amazing arcade is reflected here, giving such a futuristic feel. Today we’re doing a live broadcast outdoors.
Mr. Kyogoku 1:05
Very atmospheric, yes.
Host (Ishizaki) 1:07
Yes, wonderful. There’s something I’m really curious about. Don’t you wonder about the name “Papa Noel”?
Mr. Kyogoku 1:19
My name?
Host (Ishizaki) 1:21
The name of Papa Noel shop.
Mr. Kyogoku 1:22
Ah, the shop name. Well, yes. The shop name is Papa Noel. This means Santa Claus in French and Spanish.
Host (Ishizaki) 1:31
Santa Claus?
Mr. Kyogoku 1:32
And this is our shop’s Santa Claus character. I started this business a little over 40 years ago. Oh, that long ago. I’ve been using the name Papa Noel since then. I did it for 4-5 years, and during the bubble period, it was really hard to find a shop location, but I happened to get an opportunity here. I didn’t know this town at all.
Host (Ishizaki) 2:02
Really?
Mr. Kyogoku 2:03
Well, my wife knew about it because she came shopping in this shopping street, but I didn’t do much shopping around, so I was like “where’s that?” But anyway, I thought “let’s give it a try” and started. It turned out that I ended up spending more than half my life here – it was fate.
Host (Ishizaki) 2:25
That’s wonderful.
Mr. Kyogoku 2:27
I’m grateful. I was 30 years old then.
Host (Ishizaki) 2:31
I see, I see.
Mr. Kyogoku 2:32
At first, before Papa Noel – it’s Santa Claus – when I started at 30, unfortunately I didn’t have enough money to open a proper shop. So I started with something like a factory setup. At the very beginning, I did door-to-door sales.
Host (Ishizaki) 2:52
You did door-to-door sales?
Mr. Kyogoku 2:53
Really door-to-door. Offices, restaurants, coffee shops, karaoke bars – I’d go around getting orders, then go back to my place to roast beans and deliver in the afternoon. Spring, summer, autumn, winter – delivering like Santa Claus. That’s how I came up with the name Papa Noel. And I’ve been doing this for 40 years.
Host (Ishizaki) 3:21
Yes, yes. A truly Showa-era business style.
Mr. Kyogoku 3:25
Absolutely Showa. Pure Showa.
Host (Ishizaki) 3:28
Right. Didn’t you ever feel like giving up?
Mr. Kyogoku 3:34
Oh, I have endless stories about that. I got yelled at a lot. Even by people 10 years younger than me. Sometimes I’d end up at places with some sketchy people. But anyway, at 30 I was young and had momentum in a way. I’d think “let’s do this!” – though I couldn’t handle that now.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:06
Your passion is amazing though.
Mr. Kyogoku 4:08
Well, I already had a family, so it wasn’t about passion – it was more about responsibility.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:16
But it’s thanks to your wife’s support.
Mr. Kyogoku 4:19
Ah, whenever I tell this story, people always say that. The wife who let him do it is amazing.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:23
She is amazing.
Mr. Kyogoku 4:24
That’s usually how the conversation goes.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:27
Normally it would be like “What?!”
Mr. Kyogoku 4:30
Well, including all that, I think I was blessed and lucky.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:38
So what got you so absorbed in the world of coffee?
Mr. Kyogoku 4:42
Originally I worked in hotel restaurants, and I was looking for a way to become independent. After researching various options, I ended up here.
Host (Ishizaki) 4:58
Did you like coffee?
Mr. Kyogoku 5:02
Of course I do. But just because you like something doesn’t mean it becomes a business. You need various things. I didn’t have much and had to feel my way through.
Also, 40 years ago, elderly people didn’t drink coffee much. Neither did young people. But I thought that people who were 30-40 at that time would probably keep drinking coffee as they aged. So I felt the market would grow.
Host (Ishizaki) 5:36
I see.
Mr. Kyogoku 5:37
When we were young, for example, when doing business visits and being shown to a reception room, they’d serve tea.
Host (Takasugi) 5:43
Right, right.
Mr. Kyogoku 5:45
Not tea now. Now it’s coffee.
Host (Ishizaki) 5:46
Now it’s coffee, right.
Mr. Kyogoku 5:48
So that’s how it turned out.
Host (Ishizaki) 5:52
You had great foresight.
Mr. Kyogoku 5:55
Well, that was lucky too. That’s just how it is. Lucky.
Host (Takasugi) 6:01
Actually, I’ve been coming here since before I opened my shop in Joyful.
Mr. Kyogoku 6:06
Yes, this person is one of our customers.
Host (Ishizaki) 6:09
Amazing! I just learned this now.
Host (Takasugi) 6:11
Probably for about 17-18 years, here and there.
Mr. Kyogoku 6:15
Yes, I thought “an interesting person is coming.”
Host (Takasugi) 6:22
Various! Places where you can drink coffee have all kinds of people with different information, so the conversations are really interesting.
Mr. Kyogoku 6:30
Ah, information. Yes, indeed.
Host (Takasugi) 6:33
The coffee is delicious, and you can hear interesting stories. Delicious stories along with coffee.
Host (Ishizaki) 6:37
Oh!
Mr. Kyogoku 6:39
Yes, yes. Thankfully, I’ve always thought this – I’m just sitting here. Just sitting, but interesting people come as customers from over there. So it’s never boring, it’s interesting.
Host (Takasugi) 6:54
Right now they’re filming a certain movie in the back. If you listen carefully you might hear it. You’ve had filming here too, right?
Mr. Kyogoku 7:04
Ah, there have been various ones. I’ve been here a long time. The recent “Guys Who Light Up the Streets” and others. Sometimes they just wanted to use the front. And inside too, what else… There have been many unofficial guerrilla-style ones too. I find it interesting and go along with it.
Please note that this transcript was generated by AI and may contain some unnatural expressions or errors. We appreciate your understanding.