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| View at night |
Every once in a while I find a place that leaves me with a
deep impression, a place that is both the source and inspiration for many
memories. One of those places I found in Hiroshima.
After moving an hour and a half away from Hiroshima, I would
make monthly pilgrimages into the city for some urban renewal. I would take the
bus on a Friday night after work, and come home by mid-afternoon on Sunday. For
the first couple months I was simply finding my way. I would try different
restaurant, browse café catalogs and go on hunts for the perfect place to write
and sip a cup of coffee, but no experience was really worth repeating. It was
not until the third time I made this pilgrimage that I found my way.
Starbucks was a regular place for me in Japan. I have already
written extensively about the shortage of spacious, writer-friendly cafes in
Japan. With a few lucky exceptions,
Starbucks continues to be the best option for most people who wish to spend a
few hours on their laptops. Hiroshima has three major Starbucks branches. The
Hon-Dori is the main, three-story café in the busy covered shopping center
downtown. This one is great for people watching through the vast windows, but
in peak times there is a line out the door, and seating is a precious
commodity. I hated walking 30 minutes from my hostel only to find that it was
too crowded to work from, so I gave up on that one. The second best-known
branch is the Heiwa-Dori, at Peave Blvd. This one seems to be preferable for
expats in the city, but the seating is even more limited, and the fact that it
is located inside an NHK building makes me feel like I'm going to work at the
office. My all-time favorite Starbucks, not just I Hiroshima but in the world, has to be the third branch, the
Danbara store.
Perched majestically in the Danbara neighborhood, a new
upscale-housing development near the Mazda stadium, this sprawling, gorgeous
Starbucks is the best one I have found in the world. At all hours there is
plenty of seating, and I prefer the second floor. My prime choice is to sit
outside, on the balcony facing the river. Form here I get a pleasant view
of the pedestrian bridge and condominium across the river. If it’s too cold or
if all the seat are taken on the balcony, I sit inside at one of the small tables.
This is certainly not the most architecturally remarkable
Starbucks, nor does it break any other records in terms of uniqueness, but it
has a youthful and local vibe. It is quiet but hip, comfortable but
interesting. Since I found it, I made it a point to start and end my weekends
in Hiroshima at this Starbucks.
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| View at night facing the street |
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| Lounge area on the second floor |
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| Large dining table on the second floor |
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| Interior view form the second floor |
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| Dining room table on the second floor |
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| View from the outside balcony |
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| Outside balcony seating area |
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| Daytime view |
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| The drive-thru sign |
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