Kuzume-san is originally from Kochi Prefecture. At 45 years old, after working in business and living in different areas of Japan, he started thinking about quitting his job to try something new. His favorite place was Hikone, as he loved the fantastic scenery of the castle and the lake, and he was also attracted by its great convenient location. Seven years ago, he finally decided to make the move to Hikone.

He already had many friends in the area, and Fukuromachi was a familiar hang-out area, so there were no second thoughts when he had the chance to open his own restaurant here. In 2006, the year of monkey, he opened En (written with the kanji for monkey). He had learned to cook while living alone for a long time. He now serves a variety of dishes that you won’t find anywhere else in the district such as okonomiyaki, Nagahama ramen straight from Hakata, Fukuoka, and more.

The motto of his restaurant is “affordable and fun.” It feels more like a snack bar on weekends when female staff are also working. He hopes the bar provides a comfortable place to hang-out after a long day of work. “I think the great thing about Fukuromachi is that anyone, young or old, locals or visitors, can all come and have a good time. Finding your own favorite bar is also part of the fun! You’re always welcome here.”