Danchi Kitchen : The Bottom Line
Colour me surprised – though Danchi Kitchen could do with some colour itself. Who’d have thought that a shared communual space, in the back-end of nowhere in Saitama would be a worthwhile place to visit – as long as you can get there early and don’t mind missing out on the food if you can’t. I doubt that I’ll be in the Tajima area again any time soon, but if I am, then I will come back to Danchi Kitchen Tajima. It’s laid back vibe along with some decent beers on tap suited me perfectly.
The only downside was that I missed out on the meals – how can you tease me with that massive pizza oven and not have pizza on the go? The whole place is non-smoking, has no table charge, and also has some free Wi-Fi for those needing it.
Danchi Kitchen : Background
Danchis are public housing complexes built primarily in post-war Japan, especially from the 1950s to 1970s, to house a rapidly growing urban population and promote a new middle-class lifestyle. Since then, they have slowly declined in number, partly due to the increasing costs to repair them, and a desire for people to have their own home. With this decline in popularity, and a need for redevelopment of land, it’s great to see that old complexes in Japan are being put to new use.
daDanchi Kitchen came about when part of a former bank branch built on land adjacent to the ur urban renaissance agency tajima complex was renovated into a complex that houses a café, shared kitchen, and brewery, while retaining the atmosphere with events featuring food from saitama prefecture being held regularly. The building is located less than five minutes walk from Nishi-Urawa station and opened in August 2022.
Danchi Kitchen : Atmosphere & Interior
White – that’s perhaps the best way to describe both the interior, and the exterior, of Danchi Kitchen . It could really have done with a bit more colour, though with the colour of some of the tables and chairs cutting into the whiteness of it, there was some break in the clinic-like feel of the place. I guess minimalism is in once again in Japan. The large and airy space though was very relaxing, as well as the spaces between the tables.
Inside, there is space for around 40 people at various tables and seating arrangements. With the open plan nature of the shared communal space, you are able to look into both the shared kitchens, of which there are two, and also the small brewery at the back of the space. With three shared kitchens, I do wonder how much more the brewery can grow with such a restriction on the space. Besides that, there is a small outside area for you to sit in, though this is also used as an event space at times. The whole place is non-smoking, has no table charge, and also has free Wi-Fi to connect to.
Danchi Kitchen : Beer & Tap Information
Danchi Kitchen has three taps of craft beer on – all of their own making – with the styles changing throughout the year. The beers come in two sizes : small (200 ml) at ¥400 and just (350 ml) at ¥700. There is also a beer flight that gets you three small beers for ¥1,000 – all bargains there if you ask me. The beers are well made and were interesting – thankfully on the day I went, none of them were IPAs! There are also some bottled beers that can be bought to drink in-store, or to takeaway as well, with them being priced at ¥800.
Danchi Kitchen : Food & Menu Information
In spite of Danchi Kitchen having kitchen in the name, we mised out on the large meals and snacks that seemed to be present during the day. Instead, there are some light bites on the menu with snacks suited for craft beer – so if you’re going to come, make sure you do eat before hand. The day menu is well hidden at the bottom right of the food menu, so do take a careful look if you do go. All the prices include tax, though there wasn’t any English menu option, nor did any of the staff speak English, so you may need someone to help you if you go.
Danchi Kitchen : Bar Details
- Open : Daily 11:00 – 20:00 (L.O Food 19:00 Drink 19:30)
- Closed : Wednesdays / Sundays
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : 048-767-6404
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://danchi-kitchen.com/
- Social Media : Facebook / Instagram
