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``YAMA SAND'' is a sandwich specialty store with an orange container shop, play equipment, and tables made of drums and electric wire drums, spread over approximately 400 tsubo (400 tsubo). Not only because of the deliciousness of the sandwiches, but also because of the fun location, it has become one of Shiso City's leading tourist spots.
The owner, Takuya Yamauchi, has a lovely, bright smile. He is a chef from Tanba City who honed his skills at the Hotel Okura and other places. In 2021, he moved with his family to his wife's hometown of Shiso City.
"I want to create a place where people can gather," he said, and in November of the same year, he opened a sandwich specialty store in a corner of his house using an orange container. The store became so popular that it became too cramped with so many customers coming, so in 2022, he moved to his current location.
The new location is near the Ona intersection along Prefectural Route 26 (Shiso Shingu Line). It is a convenient location, just a five-minute drive from the Yamazaki IC on the Chugoku Expressway, and is easy to find with a home improvement store nearby. The vast space of about 1330m2 is equipped with a complex playground, a sandbox, and tables with drums and electric wire drums, making it a fun place that even non-children can enjoy.
Many families enjoy their sandwiches while their children play, and some even come all the way from the Hanshin area, Aichi, and Wakayama just to visit this store. "There aren't many places for children to play in Shiso, so I hope people will come and make some memories on their empty days off," says Yamauchi.
There are about five types of menu items, including seasonal items. The bread is original bread baked at an employment support center in Shiso City, and the vegetables and fruits are mainly from Shiso City. Each item is pre-processed separately. The eggs are also from Kajimoto-san, a local company that has been producing eggs for 40 years.
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The most popular by far is the "Vegetable Chunk Sandwich." This product has been featured in various media outlets, including TV, radio, and magazines. It uses more than 10 types of vegetables, including carrots, lettuce, pumpkin, and purple cabbage, and its cross-section is colorful and cute, making it a one-of-a-kind sandwich.
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The shrimp mayo sandwich, popular among women, sells well even on hot days. It has plenty of shrimp in it, giving it a luxurious feel.
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The "Teriyaki Sandwich" is a hearty sandwich containing a whole chicken thigh, available from autumn. In summer, the "Salted Lemon Chicken" will be available for 750 yen, with a refreshing taste from the special lemon sauce.
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The thick-sliced bacon and eggs create an exquisite harmony that is popular with people of all ages.
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The contents of the "Fruit Sandwich" change depending on the seasonal fruits and events. They use strawberries from Shiso farms in Shiso until the end of May, and are experimenting with Shine Muscat grapes for the summer. They may have already debuted. Each one has its own unique characteristics, and there are apparently fans who only eat them.
"A senior couple from the neighborhood who come here three or four times a week buy a thick-sliced bacon and egg sandwich, and apparently they each eat one piece for dinner. It makes customers like them happy," says Yamauchi. In addition, the manager sometimes serves up dishes like roast beef and ginger pork at his whim.
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The very popular "Drinkable! Coffee Jelly" just recently debuted and is a product that Yamauchi says he "loves so much that he drinks it every day." He focused on the balance of jelly and milk, and deliberately left the lumpy texture of the coffee jelly. It's more like a dessert than a drink.
"Fruit Tea" is a lemon tea with frozen raspberries, blueberries, and pineapple. The sweetness from the fruit is exquisite and it is a popular drink.
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The "Strawberry Milk" that will be available at the event is also popular. This product uses plenty of strawberries, and the 200 cups prepared for the event in Shiso City were sold out in a flash. It has a fruity taste, so it's easy to see why it's so popular.
After ordering, while you wait for your order to be made, you will be given a buzzer and a quiz sheet. The sheet contains a quiz called "A Challenge from the Store Manager" that mainly contains questions from junior high school entrance exams.
The customers looked bored while waiting, so we thought it would be a good idea to give it a try while they were waiting. We release a magazine once every one or two months, and the ninth issue is out now, and some people come to enjoy it.
Also, take a look at the back of the orange container. There is a permanent marker on it so that customers can write their own messages. "We want you to enjoy your holiday here. Please write a message that will leave a lasting memory." Customers' smiles seem to emerge from the containers with their own messages written on them.
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At the same time, Yamauchi is also working to revitalize the local area.
Once a year in 2022 and 2023, a "Children's Only Flea Market" was hosted as part of the "Shisou Genki Genki Operation" project, which aims to revitalize the local area through original planning. This is an event run only by elementary and junior high school children, from the preparation stage to the operation of the stores on the day. It was held in collaboration with Kyoto University of the Arts and students from the Faculty of Education at Himeji University who are aiming to become teachers. Students were in charge of explaining the rules, while adults just watched from the sidelines. The event was a huge success.
Each store sells a variety of items. Some sell unnecessary items from their homes, some buy prizes and hold lotteries, some play games like toss and dice, some make accessories... Each booth seems to have been creative in their efforts to liven up their store.
"We were willing to pay a booth fee. We also called out to customers ourselves, and if we didn't sell anything, we sold them in sets or discounted the price. We all came up with creative ways to do so," said Yamauchi. "We're glad that there aren't many places to play in Shiso," said Yamauchi, who said that this event was well received by both adults and children and that it will be the core of Yamasand's "Children's Playground Project."
Yamauchi's challenges are endless: "I want to support people who want to realize their dreams," "I want to increase employment," "I want to get into the nursing care business," "I want to do activities that connect people who are working hard," and so on. Please look forward to his future success.
(Writer Utami)
*This article is current as of July 2023. Prices include tax. Product contents and prices may be subject to change.
"Hyogo Amazing Pass"
With this ticket, you can not only ride Hyogo Prefecture's route buses (orange Shinki buses) all day long, but also ride the City Loop and Port Loop that connect Kobe's major tourist spots! Why not take a local trip by bus? *Limited to foreign visitors tourists visiting Japan
Click here for details and to purchase the Hyogo Amazing Pass
Take the Shinki Bus bound for Yamazaki from platform 4 at Himeji Station (North Exit) and get off at the Yamazaki (Shiso City) bus stop. At Yamazaki (Shiso City) transfer to a bus bound for Daicel, Tatsuno, or Shingu Station and get off at the Joka bus stop. It is a 4-minute walk to your destination.
The destination is a 5-minute drive from Yamazaki IC on the Chugoku Expressway.
YAMASAND
Address: 140 Ona, Hyogo Prefecture , Shiso City, Hyōgo Prefecture
Phone number: 090-9546-6981
Business hours: Weekdays 10:00-15:00 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9:00-15:00
Closed: Mondays
Parking: 20 spaces
Social Media: Instagram
What are good things and good experiences? There are many characteristics such as having a story to tell, overflowing with the thoughts of the creator, having a history, and being loved by the locals. Have you ever come across a special thing or experience that made you want to tell someone about it? And as a result of telling, someone new leads to something. We think that's what "good" is all about. In order to deliver such encounters to our customers, we discover Hyogo's good things based on the concept of "talk, communicate, and connect", and provide information that will shorten the emotional distance between customers and the region of Hyogo Prefecture.
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