Chinchikurin - Concept Notes

Stores (2)

Masuda Village is a closed village, but there are still some shops open for business. If you put up a sign, it'll be recognised as a "shop", even if it sells things shops don't sell.

~ Repair shop~

"S1-T3 Engineering" (S1-T3エンジニアリング)

S1-T3 Engineering brings in electrical appliances that have been discarded outside the village and repairs and processes them to help raise the living standard of the villagers. The factory manager is called Shunsuke (しゅんすけ), but there are many rumours that he is a robot due to his awkward movements. He rarely goes out, but on rare occasions, such as on stormy nights, he can be seen dragging something...

~ Handicraft supply store ~

"Red Gloves" (赤てぶくろ)

The store is owned by the parents of Toru's cousin, Mai Garakuta (age 8). They bring wool from their mother's family farm and process it into yarn using a special technique. The unimaginably soft and sturdy yarn attracts customers not only from the village but also from distant towns. Hanabishi's winter usami hat is also knitted with wool yarn purchased from this shop.

~ Tofu shop ~

"Kure Tofu Shop" (暮豆腐店)

This tofu shop was run by Seito's late grandfather, and is now taken over by his grandmother Terue. Helping his grandmother who is declining in physical strength, Seito is driving the cart and selling. As processed food is scarce in Masuda Village, this one of the few things that he enjoys.

~ Recycling store ~

"Integrity and cleanliness" (清廉潔白)

A store that naturally came into being while taking care of the unclaimed belongings from the liquidation of the deceased. The shop has a wide but uneven selection of goods, from daily necessities to objects of unknown use. The owner of the store is Mr Horie's (堀江) husband*, who is nicknamed "Holly" by the villagers. It is rumoured that he rarely performs amazing acrobatics, and that those who see him will always be happy. 

~ Clothing store ~

"Boutique Mirai" (ブティックみらい)

Mr Horie's wife is the owner of the store. After receiving old clothes that she had no use for, she refashioned them herself, and the clothes were accepted by the villagers and became a movement. The store was established with the enthusiastic support of the women's association officers. It is called "Mirai-kei" (未来系) , a new style differentiated from "Yamidare". Since mannequins are expensive, they sometimes use Seito as a model.

~ Bakery ~

"Anji" (庵寺(あんじ))

A bakery adjacent to the temple run by the Makuroshi family. The owner is Nora's uncle and his wife. In addition to bread, the bakery offers a wide range of baked goods such as Western-style rice crackers (cookies) and dried steamed rice cakes (biscuits), as well as nut jams. Donuts in particular are as popular as the Piyo Piyo uns, and cakes are available upon request. They also ship to the General Union Office for customers who can't make it to the store.

*Could be landlord/head of the household