From Sakuho to Sakudaira: hibi no Daidokoro, a Popular Lunch & Café Spot
2025.1.17
Just a few steps from GURURURITO.
Just across the street and diagonally opposite GURURITO, there used to be KOKYU, where hibi no Daidokoro ran a shared-kitchen café. Watching them create delicious food day after day right in our neighborhood, they’ve always been a shop the GURURITO team has wanted to cheer on.
KOKYU has since closed, but hibi no Daidokoro didn’t stop there — they’ve left Sakuho and are now active in Sakudaira.
You’ll find them at “Sakumaru Kitchen” on the 1st floor of Plaza Saku, directly connected to Sakudaira Station, every Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 16:00. Look for the kitchen car — that’s your landmark.
As someone who’s cheered them on as a neighbor, it makes me so happy to see them expanding their reach, and I’d love for guests visiting GURURITO to know about them too. So here’s a proper introduction.
One thing I highly recommend is the takikomi gohan (mixed rice) set.
It comes with rice cooked with seasonal ingredients and homemade koji seasoning, a side dish, and a hearty miso soup made with their own homemade miso.
The rice is made with organic rice from a farmer in Sakuho, cooked with added grains, and the onigiri — filled with handmade ingredients using homemade fermented seasonings and local vegetables — has a gentle flavor that keeps you coming back for more.
It satisfies both body and soul.
Their treats, made with carefully chosen ingredients, are a must-try too!
No eggs, no dairy, no white sugar. They use gluten-free and organic ingredients wherever possible, sweetened with homemade amazake or maple syrup. The result is a deeply flavorful, gentle-on-the-body treat made with local seasonal fruits and more.
You won’t feel an ounce of guilt eating them — and more than anything, they’re genuinely delicious.
My personal favorite is the seasonal tart.
The crisp, fragrant tart crust paired with seasonal fruit that lets the natural sweetness shine — it’s the kind of balance that’s addictive.
Since they also have that lovely kitchen car, they sometimes pop up at events on days other than Wednesday and Thursday too. You might just run into them somewhere unexpected.
If you’re coming to GURURITO by shinkansen, you can stop by Plaza Saku when you transfer at Sakudaira Station.
If you visit on a Thursday, you have a chance to meet hibi no Daidokoro in person — so be sure to check it out along the way.
For more information, please take a look at the store’s Instagram.
