みなさんは外食するとき、どんな基準で店舗を選択するでしょうか？
　建築の大きな領域として店舗建築、それも食事のための店舗ってそのアピールについて多様な価値観が存在している。わたしなど実際の食味とはまったく別にそういう興味分野が大きくなっている。
　昨日はカミさんと札幌近郊の「道の駅」長沼で周辺の農家から出荷されている野菜類を購入するドライブに出ておりました。最近の高温ぶりでそれが野菜類に「大型化」をもたらせているようで、巨大なナスがとくに目に付いていた。気候が反映した野菜類の様子をたっぷりと楽しんでいました。
　わたしは３歳まで農家風景の中で育っていた人間なので、根っからの都会人であるカミさんとは違って農家の田畑風景に深く郷愁を呼び起こされる。自然環境が生み出す温湿度のなかでその土地の持っている地力を生かして、どういう作物ならば適合するか、という農家の試行錯誤が集約されていて、経済面と重ね合わせて見るのが好きなのです。
　しかしカミさんはこういう風景にはまったく無関心。「海辺の景色が片方にあればね・・・」。
　まぁ、育った環境によってこういった相違はあるのでしょうね。
　で、きのうは昼食はジンギスカンのおいしい店で食べたあと、ふと写真のような郊外店の外観風景に誘われて、満腹だったのに、その店舗デザインに興味を惹かれて「どうしようかなぁ」的な客としてオモテだけ参観していた。
　この店の「萬字炭坑」という名前はわたしの育った栗沢町での近隣集落であり父母たちの会話に頻出していた耳覚えのある地名。炭坑という言い方ではなく「炭山」だったなぁと思いつつ、その店舗写真に見入っていた。
　いま現在はそこから移転して、交通量の多い高速道路入口への幹線道路に面した位置ですが、店舗デザインとしては旧所在地での雰囲気を再生させている様子。初代の店主の方とそのご家族とおぼしき写真がエントランスに誇らしく飾ってあって、微笑ましい。
　こういう「タイムスリップ」感にイマドキの顧客は反応するように思われる。

　見ていると駐車場には立派なクルマがびっしり。「スジの良い客層」というのがカミさんの見立て。なかなか鋭い観察力。たしかにこの写真で訴求されるようなノスタルジーは、現代人に「刺さる」。残念ながらわたしはラーメンについては自分で調理する一択で外食はムリなのですが、しかし、建築と味覚についての「感受性」は深く根がらみのように訴求されてきておりました。

●お知らせ
拙書「作家と住空間」幻冬舎から電子書籍で発刊
お求めはAmazonで。
https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO

English version⬇

[Taste and Architecture: Nostalgic Appeal of “How to Enjoy Food”]
Restaurants interact with customers through their design. The appeal of time travel and nostalgia is closely related to taste. The deep relationship between architecture and humans. …

　When you eat out, what criteria do you use to choose a restaurant?
As a major field of architecture, restaurant architecture, especially for dining establishments, has a wide range of values in terms of its appeal. For me, I have become very interested in this field, quite apart from the actual taste of the food.
　Yesterday, my wife and I went on a drive to the “Michi-no-Eki” (roadside station) in Nagano, near Sapporo, to purchase vegetables from local farmers. Due to the recent high temperatures, the vegetables have apparently grown larger, with giant eggplants particularly catching my eye. We thoroughly enjoyed observing how the climate has influenced the appearance of the vegetables.
　I grew up in a farming environment until I was three years old, so unlike my wife, who is a true city dweller, I feel a deep sense of nostalgia for the sight of farmland. I enjoy observing how farmers experiment with what crops are suitable for the land, utilizing its natural fertility within the temperature and humidity created by the natural environment, and considering this in conjunction with economic factors.
　However, my wife is completely indifferent to such scenery. “If there were a seaside view on one side…”
Well, such differences are probably due to the environments in which we were raised.
Yesterday, after having lunch at a delicious lamb barbecue restaurant, I was drawn to the suburban store’s exterior scenery, as seen in the photo, and despite being full, I was intrigued by the store’s design and ended up just peeking in as a customer, thinking, “What should I do?”
　The store’s name, “Manji Coal Mine,” is a familiar place name from the neighboring village in Kurisawa Town where I grew up, often mentioned in my parents’ conversations. I thought to myself, “It was called ‘coal mountain’ instead of ‘coal mine,’” as I stared at the store photo.
　Currently, the store has moved to a location along a major road leading to a busy highway entrance, but the store design seems to recreate the atmosphere of its former location. A photo of the first-generation owner and their family is proudly displayed at the entrance, which is heartwarming.
Such a “time-travel” feel seems to resonate with modern customers.

　Looking at the parking lot, it is filled with impressive cars. My wife’s assessment is that they are “high-class customers.” She has quite keen observation skills. Certainly, the nostalgia conveyed in this photo resonates with modern people. Unfortunately, when it comes to ramen, I can only cook it myself and cannot eat out, but my “sensitivity” to architecture and taste has been deeply rooted in me.

●Announcement
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available for purchase on Amazon.

Posted on 7月 27th, 2025 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: おとこの料理＆食