Kazumasa Osumi×Chisako Takashima

2014.08.11

A talk series with the violinist Chisako Takashima and the Ginza people. Ginza holds many personal and professional memories for Takashima. In this talk series, she thoroughly explores various aspects of the Ginza culture with her guests. Today’s guest is Kazumasa Osumi, the president of Shiroi Bara, a long-standing cabaret in Ginza.

You can enjoy glamorous shows and dancing with live bands with a program that changes each month

Takashima: At cabaret nightclubs, you can enjoy shows and dancing, right?
Osumi: Yes. We put on a show twice daily. We create a new program each month, so our regular customers can continue enjoying them. We also have live bands. It is very glamorous.
Takashima: What players are in the bands?
Osumi: It is usually five players, including a lead guitar, bass, drums and sax. We usually have two bands, with a female singer in one. We have five female singers that change daily, with one who’s great at jazz, one who’s great at oldies, one who sings R&B that the young people are fond of these days, and so on, so our customers can enjoy themselves. Customers can sing karaoke along with live bands, which is very rare.
Takashima: It’s really amazing that the show program changes every month.
Osumi: Turning a concept into a concrete program is quite difficult, but it is also very rewarding. It’s all done manually, so we have a number of staff who move stairs and other large rigs, and it may seem a little old-fashioned, but we have events like golden oldie intro quizzes by the live band. We work very hard to keep our guests entertained.
Takashima: It is really quite similar to my job. I do something special for each performance, like setting up a spot for touching the violins or coming down into the audience to let them hear me play right next to them. It’s very important to remember to make sure the audience is having fun while you do your job.

In addition to the entertainment, I heard that your food is also delicious.
Osumi: Yes. We are known for always displaying our prices and for serving great food. Please try our famous pork cutlet sandwich.
Takashima: (Takes a bite) Oh, it’s delicious! It’s freshly cooked and very crispy! The meat is also nice and juicy.
Osumi: We fry it after receiving the order, so we can serve it piping hot. The sushi course and unlimited drinks course are also very popular. We want our customers to feel reassured by the reasonable prices, as much as possible.
Takashima: Great food, glamorous shows… Sounds like a blast!
Osumi: Yes, everyone who comes here feels uplifted.

Show dancers

Famous pork cutlet sandwich

We want to treasure the old-fashioned atmosphere while maintaining a desire to make improvements

Takashima: Lastly, could you tell me your thoughts on Ginza?
Osumi: Sure. Ginza has always been a place that is strongly admired by people coming from around the country. Constantly keeping in mind that we are being given the privilege of doing business in Ginza leads to a desire to continuously improve the service.
Takashima: As the third-generation president, have you inherited a certain work ethic from your father?
Osumi: My father taught me that even if I’m just walking around, if I step into Ginza, I must reposition my hat and make sure my tie is straight. He said that this is the type of place Ginza is. So I feel that running a long-established cabaret in Ginza means that I must have pride in this district and provide high-quality service without fail.
Takashima: Maintaining a retro atmosphere while always taking on new challenges. You’re very thorough.
Osumi: Yes. Doing business in Ginza means I must be thorough. I want to continue creating a space that treasures an old-fashioned atmosphere but is fun for customers every time they come. I want to link the Shiroi Bara passed down from our predecessors to the next generation.

The next guest will be…

Takashima: Could you tell us about the next guest?
Osumi: It’s Masahiro Kameoka, director of the Namiki Building company. He currently works hard both night and day for the sake of Ginza, acting as both chairman of the Ginza Merchant’s Association and volunteering in the local fire corps to protect the Ginza community.

Chisako Takashima

Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.

Official website of Chisako Takashima

Kazumasa Osumi

President of Fuji Shoji Co. Third generation president of Shiroi Bara (meaning “White Rose”), an orthodox cabaret nightclub that first opened in 1931. He is responsible for selecting new recruits, training employees and producing dancing and shows.

At events, he performs as an 80s DJ.

Shiroi Bara Website

Writer: Mizuho Takahashi　　Interview location: Shiroi Bara

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