Customers from across the nation visit Cafe LaLaLa, a cafe in the Tatsumi area of Koto Ward, Tokyo to seek the owner's advice on a number of personal matters. Owner Teruko Nakazawa, 79, has 20 years of experience as a volunteer probation officer at her disposal. Although keeping the cafe open is a struggle because of the coronavirus crisis, she strives to continue her work, saying, "As long as there are people who come seeking advice, I want [my cafe] to be a place that welcomes them."
Growing up, she was taught by her mother to "be kind to others." Nakazawa would help any child who was being bullied and would always offer a helping hand to those in need. She said, "I somehow was able to sense when there was someone who needed my help."
Because she's the type of person who is unable to abandon anyone in need, she became a volunteer probation officer in 1998 at the suggestion of an acquaintance of hers. She became involved with over 120 children during her tenure.
At one time, she became involved in the case of a boy who said, "If I'm locked up I can be sure I'll eat." As she listened to more of his story, she learned that he was a victim of neglect and that his mother wasn't feeding him. After many interviews with not only the boy but also his mother, Nakazawa recommended that the two go to a hospital to seek regular treatment. After taking Nakazawa's advice the mother gradually became better and the boy eventually settled down.
There was also a case of a young man who joined a biker gang and turned to drugs as he felt that there was no place for him at home. When she invited the boy to her home, she said that he surprised her by asking "Is it all right if I come in?" unsure if he was really welcome inside because he felt so unwelcome at both home and school.
She invited those in her care to her home to enjoy homecooked meals. Among the dishes she would make, curry and rice was especially popular among the children, perhaps because the dish gave them a sense of familial warmth. They would enthusiastically eat their curry and rice and compliment her cooking. As the reputation of her curry and rice spread in due course, boys who weren't in her care would also pay her a visit. She says the secret to the dish's deliciousness is "adding ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise to filling meat and potatoes."
As she would often eat curry with them at the dinner table and gradually help them get back on their feet, her homemade curry came to be called "rehabilitation curry." The gatherings expanded to such an extent that a curry event was held involving several hundreds of participants, including people invited from the local community.
In March 2018, after retiring from her post as a volunteer probation officer, she opened the café as she "wanted to make the most of her experience and create a place where people can come together." Her customers even come from outside prefectures, such as Kagoshima, Gunma and Shizuoka, who decided to visit the café after hearing about the work Nakazawa has done and seeking her advice. There were some parents who visited the café with their daughter, seeking to rehabilitate her kleptomaniac ways. There were also some grandparents who were worried about their grandchild, a social recluse. She earnestly listens to their stories and tells them, "While we may not be able to find a solution, we may find some hints along the way of we talk [your problems] out."
Curry and rice, however, is not listed on the cafe's menu. "Because I offered it free of charge when I was a volunteer probation officer, I'm against the idea of making money from it," she said. If notified in advance, she is willing to make her most well-known dish for large groups.
The coronavirus-prompted shortening of business hours and temporary closure has made keeping the cafe open a challenge. Despite that, she said: "I like people and associating with the people is a source of energy for me. I don't know how long I will be able to continue but I have no choice but to try my best." It seems that her inherent bright attitude will help her overcome this difficult situation.
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