A Warm Welcome to Lovers of Japanese Culture

Hello, and thank you for visiting. My name is Satomi, the manager here at Oh! Mama.
Let me share a little story about how I came to open this small cultural salon in Tokyo.

■ Learning to Appreciate My Own Culture

In high school, I attended an international program and had pen pals overseas.
It was exciting, but I realized I didn’t know how to explain my own culture. That realization led me to join the Sado (tea ceremony) club. And that changed everything.

Through tea, I discovered the beauty of hospitality and simplicity.
My teacher was a gentle tea master, and even after I graduated, I continued learning from her. At the same time, I explored many things such as dance, language, international exchange.

■ After Many Moves, I Found My Place

After university, I worked in a city office, got married, and moved to an unfamiliar place for my husband’s job.
At one point, I worked for Toyota, where a senior colleague guided foreign visitors around the office and the factories. He looked so happy doing it. That inspired me to pursue and get the national license as a certified tour guide in English.

Years and a few moves later, I returned to Tokyo, raised a child, and worked part-time for a co-op and a university. Then came an incredible opportunity: a relative offered to me lend their traditional Japanese house in Tokyo.
It has a roof tile gate, tatami rooms, and even an irori hearth, which is rare in the central Tokyo now. That’s when I realized:

This is the place I’ve been looking for!!

■ A Space to Experience the Heart of Japan

Here, I opened a small cultural salon, offering authentic Shodo (calligraphy) and Sado (tea ceremony) experiences.
Calligraphy is something almost everyone in Japan learns in school, while tea ceremony, even among Japanese, is often unfamiliar on a deeper level. I wanted to create a place where people would enjoy both in a peaceful and personal atmosphere.

Since opening, I’ve had the joy of welcoming guests from 26 different countries across every inhabited continent.
Each encounter is supremely precious to me.

■ I’m So Glad You’re Here

If you’re a lover of Japan, or someone who enjoys matcha and finds beauty in Japanese arts, then this is the place for you.

Even if you’re unsure how to bow, or speak Japanese, that’s perfectly okay.
You’re already welcome.

I hope this experience becomes one of the most meaningful memories of your journey in Japan.
And I hope you’ll leave thinking,
“I want to come back.”

I look forward to meeting you.