Number Sugar, a caramel specialty store (5-11-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), opened in Omotesando, a hotbed of sweets, last December and is gaining popularity. The store, run by a young couple just 28 years old, makes all of its caramel in-house, without any additives, colorings, or flavorings. The "Caramel" sign can be seen as you turn off Cat Street in Omotesando. The pure white exterior of the store, accented by a navy blue eaves, evokes the atmosphere of a Parisian street corner. The numbers in the store's name, Number Sugar, come from the numbered flavors, from No. 1 to No. 8. Starting with No. 1, the lineup includes vanilla, salt, cinnamon & tea, chocolate, raspberry, orange peel, almond, and ginger. Because the ingredients are kneaded into the caramel, you can enjoy its natural flavor and texture, while its soft texture makes it easy to eat—the secret to its popularity.
Owner Keisuke Maebara, who has a background as a candy maker, opened a caramel specialty shop with his wife, Sachie. Since Sachie's family home was a farm, they started making caramel as a shared hobby, but initially, it was just a hobby and they had no plans to open a shop. "I've always loved making people happy. I had a vague desire to open a restaurant or bar, but I became more absorbed in making caramel than I expected, and after two years of trial and error, we decided to open a shop. Many sweets these days are elaborate and complicated, but I wanted to make something that people would simply find delicious. I don't expect any complicated opinions," Keisuke says.
The interior of the shop is sophisticated and simple, with antique accessories that Sachie loves, such as magnifying glasses, black telephones, and teacups, placed throughout. There's also a dining area by the window, where you can enjoy coffee (100 yen) with your caramel purchase. Keisuke prepares the caramel in the kitchen, where the production process can be seen through the glass, while staff members carefully wrap each caramel in paper. The counter, modeled after an old, established European hotel, displays caramels numbered 1 through 8 in their own cases. Caramel jars, gift wrapping boxes, and shopping bags line the wall behind the counter. Yukie is at the front of the store, overseeing everything from customer service to cashiering. The meticulous interior design and shopping bags were all commissioned from acquaintances and friends. Since they didn't happen to have any acquaintances, they didn't hire any professional designers. Yukie is in charge of the product packaging, and she even handcrafts the in-store posters herself. When asked why they chose Omotesando as their location, Keisuke said, "We wanted to make a name for ourselves as a Japanese store in Omotesando, where famous international stores line the streets." When they first opened, production couldn't keep up, and they often sold out before closing time, but they improved production efficiency and solved the problem. While their customer base is primarily women in their 30s, the soft texture of their caramel also attracts repeat customers from older generations. Regarding their future plans, the two plan to create flavors using new ingredients and create caramel-flavored cakes and drinks. They also plan to open a second store and expand overseas. The eight flavors of caramel are available in bags (starting at ¥500 for a pack of five) and two types of boxes (¥1,100 for 12 packs and ¥2,200 for 24 packs). They can also be purchased individually (starting at ¥100 each). Other products include two types of caramel cream in jars (¥1,200 for milk and ¥1,300 for bitter), canned butterscotch (¥700), and caramel sticks (¥100 each).
