Would you like to help spread Japanese manga culture in Portugal? We are opening a cozy manga café in the Rua Cedofeita neighborhood of Porto. It is a community space where manga fans can read, socialize and relax. Join us!
Providing a place where people can connect and share happiness.
What is "Manga Café"?
・A workspace for nomadic workers where you can read manga.
・Drinks and light meals are available, and it can also be used as a cafe.
In addition to light meals such as rice balls, miso soup and Japanese sweets, you can also buy gacha-gacha machines, figurines and other items. In addition to manga and anime, this place also offers classes and events where you can learn Japanese and Japanese cuisine, and is a place where people from different countries can interact.
The store will open on Rua de Cedofeita, in the heart of Porto!
We are Japanese brothers, now in Portugal with a business visa. In Japan, my brother Shuntaro was a dancer and my sister Maasa was a web writer.
During my time at the Imperial Russian Ballet, I visited many countries in Europe, but Portugal was the one that left the biggest impression on me. At that time, I was physically and mentally exhausted from all the hard work I had to do and I couldn’t even clearly understand where I was, but Portugal was the only place that stuck in my mind and gave me a sense of security, as if I had returned home. The beauty of the city, the kindness of the people, the safety and the atmosphere made my broken heart return to normal. I haven’t wanted to visit it again for over 10 years, but I finally managed to visit it in November 2023.
We spent 10 days exploring the cities of Lisbon and Porto. Once again, I felt the beauty, comfort and coziness of Portuguese cities and set a new goal.
We would like to start a business that would allow us to deeply connect with Portugal and the local people, as well as interact with Japan in cultural terms.
Pesquisar produtos em Akihabara
The first thing that got me started was the words “Hello” I received from a local employee upon arrival at the airport. Having arrived in a distant land after a long flight, we were both excited and a little apprehensive. At that moment, they greeted me in Japanese and welcomed me, which left a very strong impression on me, and I could feel their respect for Japan.
In addition, I visited many cafes and shops, and the staff everywhere seemed very enthusiastic and enjoyed their work, and I felt a sense of comfort in the distance with which they served customers. We had the same goal as the locals, who take pride in their work and have established their own style, and we wanted to create a shop that would be a place of relaxation.
Also, when people found out we were Japanese, some of them started talking about Japanese anime and manga. I personally saw that there were a lot of people who were interested in Japanese culture.
My sister and I participate in activities that have an impact on young people. I practice ballet/hip hop RAP and my sister does pop art. Manga and anime also have a strong influence on our activities. We would like to create a fun place and a work opportunity, promoting Japanese culture, including manga and anime, which are currently attracting a lot of attention, in Portugal, and providing opportunities to experience different cultures in more depth.
Introdução ao manga
