A couple enjoys a quiet morning over cups of organic coffee. In the afternoon, they select a wedding dress and the bride tries it on, their expectations rising for the upcoming wedding. In the evening, they visit a beauty salon on the 3rd floor for a couples’ massage, slowly unwinding from the stresses of daily life.
Gazzara Design in Akasaka is a complex facility where you can enjoy café, a dress salon, and a beauty salon all in one stop, fusing together several vital aspects of a woman’s lifestyle.
Gazzara Café, located on the 1st floor, faces a narrow yet quiet street in the middle of Akasaka, drawing in passersby with the pleasant aroma of coffee wafting through its spacious interior. In addition to using the internationally popular Bun Coffee beans roasted in Byron Bay in the east coast of Australia, there are regular events showcasing special ingredients. On the day when Pikarin and Shibasaki-chan visited Gazzara Design, the Lemon Festival was being held. Shibasaki-chan ordered lemonade immediately. Taking a sip, Pikarin exclaimed, “Wow! This lemonade is much lighter and ADULT-LIKE!!” This is because it includes a subtle hint of honey to make it more complex and flavorful.
This special lemonade also includes citric acid, which has the effect of reducing fatigue. With this special drink cleansing their bodies, they proceeded to Lapidem Tokyo, the beauty salon on 3rd floor. With a Moroccan-style interior design, the salon gives off a luxurious feel upon entering.
The unique characteristic of this salon is that they use three methods of massage. 1) Kappo; the traditional form of therapy that has been passed down since Sengoku era (around 15th century). 2) Keiraku; the meridian system of massage using effective points of the human body pathway. 3) Holistic Beauty; the technique of beauty for improving the natural healing power. Experiencing these special massages, Shibasaki-chan commented, “Awesome! Really good!! I have never had such a strange feeling in this exotic room!!”
Detoxifying from within. Beautifying the body. Though the two girls already have sufficient “beauty”, they went to basement to pursue further beauty. There, another salon named Gazzara Design Dress is located, featuring original wedding dresses not seen in ordinary bridal salons. 90% of them are made in France and match with idyllic image of a European countryside.
Though wedding dresses are fundamentally white, those in this salon are an unbleached white, giving them a more natural feel. Furthermore, this dress is made from medieval curtains, for an air of antiquity. Shibasaki-chan, who has dreams of being a bride someday, was very excited to see all the dresses hung in a row. Selecting her favorite one and trying it on, she felt as if she were in a dream and she couldn’t stop gazing at her reflection in the mirror.
Photo by Kaede
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Gazzara DesignMAP
Writer, Book Reviewer. Having the degree of MA. (Japanese Literature) I love Japanese Girl's Popular Music, such as YUKI, Chara, Makoto Kawamoto, and Seiko Oomori.
