Shibuya’s Own:
A Homegrown Food Culture Magazine

Vol.20 Hiroshi Inada(Editor)

2025.11.05

Every other month, on the 6th, a distinctive magazine lands on bookstore and convenience store shelves. Heralding itself as a "Food Culture Journal," this publication is called RiCE. A glance at its recent features reveals bold, trendsetting topics like”Contents of Kyoto”, "A Life Without Shochu?", "How to Eat in Taiwan", and "Everyone’s Pairing." Always staying ahead of the curve, RiCE captures the evolving world of food culture. Since its launch in 2016, RiCE has been guided by editor-in-chief Hiroshi Inada, a veteran magazine editor with a 30-year career rooted in Shibuya. Despite multiple relocations, the editorial team has always found a new home within the neighborhood. Much like Inada himself, the magazine’s journey remains closely tied to the vibrant streets of Shibuya.

Before the Move: Inside the
Sendagaya Editorial Office

“Actually, we're moving our editorial office in April to “HOME/WORK VILLAGE” which is recently opened in Ikejiril. We liked Sendagaya too. ......The area has a relaxed atmosphere, plenty of great lunch spots, and just the right energy. Since moving here, I’ve found myself coming to the office more often than before.” The editorial office of the food culture magazine RiCE was originally based in Shimokitazawa when it first launched, but since 2020, it has remained within Shibuya Ward. Their former Sendagaya office, having moved from Jinnan, was just a few dozen meters away from the “Be a Good Neighbour Coffee Kiosk” "I often stop by for a quick takeaway, whether it’s after lunch or before diving into a challenging article. The coffee is, of course, excellent, but what I really love is the laid-back, kiosk-like vibe—it makes stopping by feel effortless." The magazine boasts an impressive lineup of renowned writers, including Banana Yoshimoto, Shigeaki Kato, Chokkaku Shibuya, and Sakiko Hirano—all celebrated for sparking conversation.

A Miso Soup Joint Serving
Busy Workers

Sendagaya is a hub for creative industries, home to fashion and design offices, with an equally refined dining scene. For lunch, Inada loves Galali Sendagaya—a spot that perfectly balances convenience, affordability, and, most importantly, great flavor. "They have a fantastic selection of daily set meals, but what I love most is that you can refill both rice and miso soup as much as you want. The best part? They offer two types of miso soup—red miso and white miso etc.. I usually end up having three bowls! Today’s special is grilled saikyo-marinated fish... Oh, and I'll add a mini salad and a small bowl of natto, please. As I became a regular, I discovered this place isn’t just about miso—they also specialize in black sugar Shōchū . They offer a full selection from every distillery on the Amami Islands, where this rare Shōchū is exclusively made. By day, it’s a miso soup shop, but by night, it turns into a black sugar Shōchū bar. Thanks to our Shochu special issue (in March 2025) and last year’s Spirits feature, I’ve started visiting in the evenings as well—to study, of course.” For a post-meal stroll, the nearby National Stadium is the perfect destination. The ability to casually visit one of Tokyo’s newest landmarks is just another perk of being in Sendagaya.

Rare Encounters Await
at the Cinema

"My earliest memories of Shibuya go back to when I moved to Tokyo for university. At the time, it was just one of many places to hang out, along with Shinjuku and other spots. I’ve always had a love for magazines, but back then, my true passion was film. I even joined a cinema research club—until I lost confidence in myself. Before all that, I had dreamed of becoming a film director.” Even now, Inada catches around 130 films a year. He fondly remembers being deeply moved by a film he saw at Eurospace. "It's an old film, Angel by Ernst Lubitsch. It was incredibly sophisticated, and I was struck by the richness of what was left unseen. That feeling has stayed with me. Cinemavera Shibuya is also nearby, and with its café inside, I absolutely love that building. Just yesterday, I visited for a Douglas Sirk retrospective."

Shibuya in the Spotlight:
A Food Culture Magazine’s Take

"I also love reading books about films. One of my favorite bookstores is the secondhand shop Los Papelotes. I was pleasantly surprised to find books like Hikari wo Megutte by Shigehiko Hasumi and Transcendental Style in Film by Paul Schrader there. It’s a quiet space, but the selection really speaks to the shop’s unique perspective. Since I often visit the Uehara and Hatagaya areas for editorial meetings, I also make a habit of stopping by Gyoza no Mise Ni Hao." Inada has spent over a decade working in Shibuya, starting with a music publishing company, then launching a fashion culture magazine as editor-in-chief, and continuing to work in the area today. He feels as though his life and the city are perfectly in sync. So, what would he do if RiCE were to feature Shibuya? Let’s get his thoughts. "It would probably be a feature focused on people—like the shop owners or chefs, where the person and the place are inseparable. The presence of key figures in the food scene was one of the main reasons RiCE was launched, and there are plenty of such places in Shibuya... But, actually, we’ve also discussed doing a feature on Shinjuku. If Shibuya is about ‘people,’ then I feel like Shinjuku has the power of ‘place.’ If Shinjuku comes first, though, you’ll have to forgive me! (laughs)"

The magazine boasts an impressive lineup of renowned writers, including Banana Yoshimoto, Shigeaki Kato, Chokkaku Shibuya, and Sakiko Hirano—all celebrated for sparking conversation.

List

1	Be A Good Neighbor Coffee Kiosk, Sendagaya Branch 3-51-6 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku ☎︎03-5770-3195 Official Web↗ A coffee stand that adds a punctuation mark to the everyday life of Sendagaya. Inada always orders the "Coffee of the Day" here.　@bagn_coffeekiosk
2	JINNAN HOUSE A minimalist, multifunctional space that houses the offices of Rice Press and its partner planning company. It opened in 2020 in Jinnan, Shibuya. @jinnan.house
3	Galali Sendagaya 2-6-4 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku Official Web↗ The lunch service often sells out quickly, so it's best to visit early. The evening service, featuring a selection of black sugar shochu, also has many loyal fans. Closed on Sundays. @galali_sendagaya
4	Eurospace 1-5 Maruyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Kinohaus 3F Official Web↗ A prominent mini-theater in Tokyo, Cinemavera Shibuya is located on the upper floors. Inada has expressed his affection for the entire building.
5	Los Papelotes 3-4-2 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku, Beniya Building G102 ☎︎03-3467-9544 Official Web↗ A second hand bookstore near Yoyogi-Uehara Station, offering a wide variety of art books, magazines, and an excellent selection of food-related titles. The logo is designed by Makoto Wada. @lospapelotes
6	Gyoza no Mise Ni Hao 2-27-4 Nishihara, Shibuya-ku, Masumoto Building 2F ☎︎03-3465-0747 A gyoza specialty shop founded in 1982, known for its authentic gyoza made with handmade skins. It was also featured in a RiCE magazine shoot. The shop is closed on Mondays and

Profile

稲田浩 Hiroshi Inada

Born in 1969 in Osaka Prefecture, Inada is an editor with a rich career in publishing. After working on music magazines at Rockin' On, he founded the fashion culture magazine EYESCREAM in 2004 and served as its editor-in-chief until 2016. Following his departure, he established his own publishing company, Rice Press, and launched the food culture magazine RiCE. The 40th issue, featuring Kyoto, is currently available. The next issue, set to be released on April 6, will focus on Kyoto. Since 2020, the editorial office has been based in Shibuya ward. https://www.rice.press

all streets shibuya

Shibuya’s Own: A Homegrown Food Culture Magazine

Before the Move: Inside the Sendagaya Editorial Office

A Miso Soup Joint Serving Busy Workers

Rare Encounters Await at the Cinema

Shibuya in the Spotlight: A Food Culture Magazine’s Take