"Umemigaoka QUINTET" - Umegaoka -
This APPLE TREE features "quintet," a place within walking distance of the APPLEBUM office.
It's a cultural spot just a 2-minute walk from Umegaoka Station on the Odakyu Line, and has strong ties with Ryo from "ripple," whom we interviewed previously.
We spoke with the owner, Satoshi Hamanaka, affectionately known as "Hama-san."
It's a place where you feel at ease even on your first visit, and before you know it, you've stayed for a long time.
The atmosphere at quintet is born from Hama-san's experiences with music, culture, and people, as well as his desire "to create a space."
[Origin of the Name]
"quintet" means "a group of five," and I named it this because I wanted the shop to have multiple elements:
・Music (records)
・Coffee
・Alcohol
・Soccer
・Friends
"I never intended to focus on just 'one thing' from the beginning.
I wanted a place where there were records, where you could drink coffee, enjoy alcohol, talk about soccer, and friends would gather.
I wanted to create a place where these various elements, while seemingly independent, would naturally form a unified atmosphere."
[To the Forefront of Club Culture]
"Cleaning the toilets at HARLEM was incredibly strict (laughs).
We were taught to clean the toilets so thoroughly that you could practically lick them.
I'd stick my bare hands in and think, 'Hmm, it's still a bit gritty?' (laughs)."
"Also, putting up event posters inside and outside the club isn't as easy as it seems."
Cleaning toilets, putting up posters, creating the atmosphere of the venue.
I felt that the experiences Hama-san accumulated behind the glamorous club scene are what led to the current quintet.
[The Beginning of quintet, Why Umegaoka?]
"I wanted to do it in Setagaya.
My friends live around here, and it's not too far from the city center, making it easily accessible. Above all, I liked the atmosphere of the town."
When he came to see the property, he spoke to the fishmonger who had a shop on the first floor of the building at the time. He said that the fishmonger's personality was also a big deciding factor.
They renovated the space, which used to be a karaoke bar, themselves, gradually transforming it into the shop it is today.
"I still think the shop is unfinished (laughs).
At first, there was really nothing, but various people brought in sofas, record shelves, and so on.
Before I knew it, it gradually took on its current form."
Rather than perfectly building the shop from scratch, it grew and evolved with people's involvement.
Perhaps that "unfinished" quality contributes to quintet's profound depth and comfortable atmosphere.
[What do you value most when running the shop?]
Hama-san repeatedly used the words "community" and "mood."
"Community is really important, you know.
The goal is for everyone to live happily there, to consume, help each other, and create something within that community.
I want to create a place where such a flow naturally arises."
"Also, I really value things like mood."
Someone comes because they're feeling a little lonely.
It's somehow comfortable, and they end up staying longer than planned.
He said that these "sensory values" are the most important part of the shop.
And he believes that the presence of music quietly supports that comfortable mood.
[Approach to Coffee]
"Of course, I like coffee, but there's so much delicious coffee in Tokyo, isn't there?
So, rather than aiming for a 'special cup,' I want to offer a daily coffee that's always there."
Rather than flashy rarity, it's about being part of everyday life.
Something that makes you suddenly remember and want to come back for another cup.
I feel that quintet's coffee reflects the very essence of how the shop exists.
[The keyword "circulation"]
Coffee grounds are eaten and decomposed by beetle larvae, their excrement becomes highly nutritious fertilizer, and from that, vegetables and fruits are grown.
Hama-san was strongly attracted to this kind of system.
"Circulation is just fascinating.
I think the same goes for records; it's better for them to be circulating rather than sitting still."
It's not just about collecting, but also about listening, sharing, and passing on.
This philosophy directly applies to his current shop.
"From a cultural perspective, I think records have no meaning if they don't circulate.
If you just own them and never play them, what's the value of a record?
I understand the collector's spirit, but it's sad to sell them overseas for 50,000 or 60,000 yen and never see them again.
I think sharing and passing them on to people you know is also very important."
People who resonate with this sense of "circulation" gather, and trust naturally builds up.
As a result, it made perfect sense that renowned DJs frequent this shop.
*The photos show records well-worn by DJ KENSEI at his gigs, exuding a special atmosphere.
[Influential Culture]
He started by buying rap records, then got hooked on the fun of digging for sampling sources, and then delved deeper into jazz and record culture.
"From hip-hop, I traced the original samples and fell in love with jazz.
That led me to admire jazz cafes."
[Memorable Parties]
Among them, he said the Japanese hip-hop parties "DISC-O-TECH" and "Honey Drippin'" left a particularly strong impression.
"They were incredibly cool.
It wasn't just the music, but the atmosphere, the people, everything together felt like a 'party.'
Those really influenced me."
The events held at quintet today are still deeply influenced by those formative experiences.
However, the current style is a bit different from typical club nightlife.
"Nowadays, parties that gather during the day are great too.
You can come with your kids, and the whole family can enjoy it.
I feel more comfortable with a situation where people of different ages and positions can mix and be in the same place."
The sensibility cultivated through the 90s to 00s era naturally permeates the shop even during the day.
People drinking coffee, people enjoying music, families.
A form of "party" unique to quintet, where people of all ages share the same space.
Even as years pass and lifestyles change, quintet has flexibly adapted, creating an atmosphere that only it can produce.
[The unique excitement of sports]
Having dedicated himself to soccer in high school to the extent of competing in national tournaments, it remains one of the important pillars of Hama-san's life.
He says that watching the World Cup and Champions League with everyone, and the unique fervor generated by sports, possesses a different kind of energy from music.
"There's an excitement that only sports can create.
I still think it's amazing."
*Hama-san from his younger days was also featured in this magazine found at the shop.
[What kind of place do you want it to be in the future?]
"I want it to be a place that benefits someone.
Like a supporter, with people who help and people who cheer you on.
Perhaps creating such a place is my mission.
Because I really like people, and friends are incredibly important."
Rather than aiming for completion, it continuously changes flexibly.
People who are captivated by Hama-san's and the shop's generosity naturally gather and end up staying for a long time.
On the day of the interview, Mikasa-san, a former colleague from his HARLEM days, also casually visited the shop, and the conversation became even livelier.
quintet, rooted in the town of Umegaoka, where music, coffee, soccer, alcohol, and friends naturally blend together.
Speaking of the wonderful quintet,
there is actually a sister store called "Ohtake quintet" in Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Like Umegaoka quintet, this is also a hot spot for Black culture enthusiasts.
If you're interested in "quintet," please visit at least once.
It's sure to fit perfectly with your mood of the day.
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Umegaoka quintet
〒154-0022
B1F SPACE88, 1-15-9 Umegaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Access: 2 minutes walk from Umegaoka Station
Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM (Irregular holidays)
(Please check Instagram for the latest information)
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/quintet.2013/
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