Lively children’s voices, uplifting music, delicious food, and…everyone is welcome!
HITODETERU” is a rented cafe held once a month in Sapporo, a cafe space created for the enjoyment of each visitor.In this interview, we spoke with the organizer, Ms. Sakamoto, about the appeal of “Hitode Teru” while enjoying the acclaimed gluten-free menu and specialty coffees.
Rent-a-cafe “Hito-deteru” is a cafe like this!
「Hito-deteru」 is a rent-a-cafe style cafe that started in Sapporo in February 2024.
MUSICA HALL CAFE, located right next to Kikusui Subway Station, is our main base of operations and is held once a month.(As of January 2025)
「Hito-deteru」The unique name of the restaurant, “The Crowd”, was invented from a unique Hokkaido expression meaning “a large number of people”.
Since a large turnout can be taken to mean a prosperous business, the name was adopted as it is for good luck.
I used to use “hito-deteru” in ordinary conversation, but I learned for the first time that it was an expression unique to Hokkaido (laugh).♪
The concept of such “hito-deteru” is also free and playful.
Disability Gender Occupation Nationality
Transcending all categorization
Bringing our likes and strengths
A space where we can spend time with people we love
More to follow like this.
A place where those who have too much energy can release it
and those who don’t have enough can recharge it
and weave happiness together.
From these words, one cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia, as if everyone, no matter what their background, is accepted in their entirety.
In some cafes, children work just as hard as adults.
The clientele when I visited included some with children, some on their own, two men in a meeting style, etc… there is certainly a wide variety (laughs).
It was like all kinds of people from all kinds of places gathered together!
And yet, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves without any sense of discomfort.
We asked the organizer, Tomomi Sakamoto, about the impetus behind the establishment of the “hito-deteru” (rented room) café.
Ms. Sakamoto used to be a stylist and lived abroad.
I see that not only yourself, but also the children who work with you at the café are dressed somewhat stylishly and wonderfully.
Ms. Sakamoto, who had a child with a disability and two children who chose not to go to school, experienced firsthand the difficulties of life in the world.
・Similarly, there are probably people who, for a variety of reasons, are having a difficult time living each day.
・If there is a “place” for such people, it would be possible to connect with people who have various thoughts and feelings.
・We want to create a place where people realize that what they think is “out of the ordinary” is in fact “ordinary,” “unique,” and “appealing.
Hito-deteru” was started as such a place to stay.
I see, so it is “transcending all categorization”!
We want this to be a place where each and every one of us can shine in what we love to do.
And by the way, the food was good, just as good (laughs).
Ms. Sakamoto provided us with a nice photo of the store being prepared for opening.
Ms. Sakamoto’s friend and his son and his friend had the blackboard menu board written.
It is a very funny scene to see people not only visiting as customers, but also cooperating and creating what they can do together.
Hito-deteru’s menu is basically all gluten-free
Although some people may not realize it because it is not particularly appealing, the café’s menu is basically all gluten-free.
In addition, sweets are made with as little sugar as possible, taking advantage of the sweetness of the ingredients as much as possible.
There were five kinds of cakes, five kinds of drinks, shallow-brewed coffee (details to follow) to be ordered separately, and food: a venison curry directly from a hunter friend, three kinds of doria, and an enzyme brown rice hitodeiru set meal.
It is nice to have sides such as sausages and French fries.
The kitchen is basically run by Sakamoto-san and his staff member Kusakabe-san, but when things get busy, visitors to the café sometimes come in to help out.
Why did you make your menu gluten-free?
It’s because many people are allergic to wheat and I myself feel better after trying a wheat-free diet.
Not only is it a place where each person can spend their time as they please, but the food is also delicious and healthy.
For children, it naturally leads to food education.
Order the Hito-deteru set meal of enzyme brown rice for lunch.
All the menu items were tempting and I was torn between them, but I chose the Hito-deteru set meal (1,100 yen) because I wanted to try the enzyme brown rice.
The set meal of the day was oden.
Happily, the fish paste in the oden is also made without additives.
What a great thing to be thankful for….
Nagaoka-style enzyme brown rice is brown rice, azuki beans, and salt cooked in a pressure cooker and left to ferment and mature for three to four days.Not only does the enzyme make it soft and glutinous, but it also increases its nutritional value and is considered a healthy food that is good for digestion.
It was invented by a physician, Katsuya Nagaoka, hence the name “Nagaoka method.
The oden is very gently seasoned and tasty enough as it is, but when served with the accompanying yuzu kosho miso, it has a punch of flavor that makes the rice more palatable.
The meal was warm and invigorating, and I felt both physically and mentally refreshed as I talked with the staff and the children over the counter in a friendly atmosphere.
What’s more, during the meal, we happened to witness one of the café patrons perform a song on the spot.
What a treat to hear live music and singing♪
The following photos show the tikka masala curry with Ezo venison (1,100 yen) ordered by the person who happened to be sitting next to me at the counter on the left, and the additive-free sausage (500 yen) ordered by the author at the December Hitoderu event on the right.
I had a taste of the curry (thank you) and it was well spiced and authentic!It was also creamy, mild and sweet.
The additive-free sausage on the side menu is also a satisfying dish.The skin is crispy and the inside is stuffed with juicy arabiki meat.
With so many sausages on the market that are made with additives, it is nice to be able to receive such a valuable product.
Specialty coffees for desserts & collaborative store openings
Now that your stomach is full, it’s time for coffee.
The menu list I introduced earlier said “Makiko-san’s shallow roasted coffee”.
In fact, the coffee menu is a collaboration with Makiko Watanabe, who specializes in shallow roasted coffee, and only coffee is available to order separately.
Ms. Watanabe is the organizer of “The World Spread by Coffee,” which rents out cafes in the city and serves shallow roasted coffee.
In addition to “Hito-deteru,” the company also holds stand-alone and collaborative events.
In fact, it was when I came for Makiko’s coffee that I first learned about Hito-deteru.
So, the coffee menu at the time of your visit.
I have always been a fan of deep-roasted coffee, but after listening to Ms. Watanabe talk about the excellence of shallow-roasted coffee and actually trying it, my perspective changed.
I feel that the slowly changing flavors of the beans, which vary in character depending on their origin, type, and production method, as well as the explanations provided on the menu, can be connected to the way one enjoys wine.
The coffee I ordered this time was “Rwanda Gitesi Red Bourbon Natural” (600 yen).
In parentheses: Country of origin → Plantation name → Bean variety → Production method
I had it with gluten-free gateau chocolat (¥650).
The coffee is about a medium shallow roast, and although it looks dark in color, it is very light to drink.
As the menu comments, the sweetness and fruity acidity gradually become more pronounced as it cools.
The gluten-free gateau chocolat has a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, just like raw chocolate.The meringue is light, yet not cloying.The sweetness is also quite moderate, making it very easy to eat.
We took our time to enjoy the Rwandan coffee, along with its gradually changing flavor.
The following photo shows the “Oh Cheesecake Fig Chocolat* ” of the person who was allowed to join us at the counter.（¥650）and “Rice-flour pumpkin tart” (¥650 ) ordered by Ms. Watanabe.
*Since they were out of orange chocolates on the day of the event, they switched to figs.
Of course, all of them are gluten-free.
I tasted a bite of both (laugh) and found that the sweetness was moderate, but I could still taste the deliciousness of the ingredients.
Incidentally, “Oh-Cheese cake” is a name that is a combination of “Ochi,” the nickname of Ms. Sakamoto’s son, and “cheese.
Such episodes and playfulness are surely scattered throughout the café.
Perhaps one of the ways to enjoy Hitodeteru is to discover something new each time you visit, as if you were on a treasure hunt.
Hito-deteru Basic Information
Just as food preferences and tastes differ from person to person, what people like and what they find enjoyable also differ from person to person.
Being “unusual” is never a “bad thing.”
When children run around in the café, there are no adults there to frown upon them.
After spending some time at the café, I felt that both adults and children are properly enjoying their respective ways of spending time.
You can use it as a regular café, or like the author, you can come to enjoy the gluten-free menu.
Many people come here for the purpose of meeting people, saying, “If I come here, I can meet everyone.
Because it is a “place” where people from all walks of life visit and encounter each other, I believe that the relationships that develop there are also the charm of Hitodeteru.
If you are interested in visiting Hito-deteru, please follow the official Instagram to check the dates of the event.
Mr. Sakamoto, please tell us about your future prospects!
We would like to create a system to employ people with disabilities and pay them a normal salary as employees!I hope that my daughter, who is currently a cashier, can be the first one to do so.
In addition, we are planning to increase the number of venues and the dates of the event from April 2025, so please look forward to it!
Expectations are high for “Hito-deteru” to evolve even further!
Let me conclude with a nice message from Ms. Sakamoto.
If you have financial difficulties that make it difficult for you to pay, please come to the restaurant and tell me quietly that you have financial difficulties, and I will provide you with a free meal.
When I became single and child support was unpaid, many friends supported me, and we are here now, so when we are in trouble, even a little, we will help each other!Let’s live together!
February 2025.
Organizer Sakamoto’s thoughts in the above message are now being put into practice in the form of “Pay It Forward-box installation.
Pay It Forward is about connecting to the goodwill you have received by passing it on to someone else.Specifically, by donating any amount to the box located at the cash register, you will be helping those who have difficulty paying their bills.
Of course, donations are voluntary.The words in the message below, “If you have a bit of a bustling wallet…” make me feel warm ^^.
The term “Pay It Forward” became widely known after the 2001 Hollywood movie “Pay It Forward,” and now, after the Corona disaster, it is being taken up again.
Thank you for reading to the end.
The information in this article is current as of 2025.January.Please check our official Instagram when you visit!
All café menu items are basically gluten-free, but some ingredients may contain wheat, so please check in advance if you have any allergies.
| store name | Rent-a-cafe Hito-deteru |
| Main venues | 2F, 3-1-25, Kikusui 2-jo, 3-chome, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo musica hall cafe Open Map |
| Access | Approximately 1 minute walk from Exit 5 of Kikusui Station on the Subway Tozai Line. |
| Business Hours | 12:00-20:00（LO19:00） |
| Schedule | Mainly on the third Monday of each month ☆Please check the official SNS for dates and times. ☆Plans to increase the number of venues from April 2025. |
| parking lot | None (coin-operated parking available nearby) |
| cashless payment | Cash Only |
| number of seats | Approx. 30 seats |
| accompanied by children | warm welcome |
| Official SNS | Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hito_deteru/ |
| remarks | For inquiries, please contact us through our official Instagram message |
