A Day Running a Japanese Cafe in London

Ever wondered what it is like to manage a café in London? Yuki Toribe has lived and worked in the city for three years. He began his career in fashion design in Tokyo before moving to the UK, where he unexpectedly discovered a new path through food. In a short time, he introduced Japanese onigiri rice balls and rice burgers to a new audience. Now, Yuki is taking the next step in that journey by opening his own café and bar, KAIHŌ.

While attending Japan Matsuri 2026 in London as an event photographer, I discovered a stall called Zen Musubi, run by Yuki, offering an array of delicious Japanese onigiri. Watching the stall in action sparked a curiosity about what it might be like to work behind the counter, serving Japanese cuisine in the heart of London. That curiosity became the inspiration for a film exploring life on the other side of the stall.

Before long, it became clear that Yuki’s story was uniquely compelling, shaped by his artistic background in Japan and his roots in southern Japan. His laid-back personality inspired the desire to create a film that reflects this relaxed, easygoing character, without heavy exposition or narration. From this emerged the concept of a day-in-the-life format, offering viewers an intimate glimpse into how Yuki juggles the many responsibilities of running a café and bar.

Drawing inspiration from Perfect Days (2023), this observational mini-documentary follows Yuki throughout his day, preparing food, serving customers, and managing the café, capturing the routines that define his life behind the counter.