Rokuhōdō Yotsuiro Biyori

is a Japanese manga series by Yū Shimizu. It has been serialized in Shinchosha's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Go Go Bunch'' since October 2013 and has been collected in eighteen ''tankōbon'' volumes as of July 2023. An anime television series adaptation by Zexcs aired from April to June 2018. A live-action drama adaptation premiered in January 2022 on TV Asahi's Oshidora Saturday block.

Plot

Four young men run a tea house/café called Rokuhōdō together. They often help out customers with their worries.

Characters

Main characters

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:Shop owner and manager of Rokuhōdō. His first name is actually Kyousui, but he is fondly called Sui by everyone. He quit his office job to reopen the tea house he inherited from his grandfather. He learnt the art of tea making from his grandfather and is now a tea expert. His tea is known to have a relaxing attribute and is easy to drink too. Though he seems pretty clueless at times, he is pretty sharp and level headed at others. Although his tea is excellent, he totally sucks at cooking, and as such, his cooking is feared by everyone. He is a big fan of cats, and has a pet cat named Kinako at home, which was a stray he picked up. He is not really on speaking terms with his twin brother, whom he wants to make up with.
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:With a calm disposition and a gentle nature, Tokitaka is the main chef at Rokuhōdō. He was Sui's middle school classmate and a popular potter from a young age. After helping Sui with some tableware, he decides to join Sui in re-opening Rokuhōdō and thus becomes one of the first employees. He has a gentle disposition and gives pottery lessons to the retired elderly, who are also regulars at the cafe. He also makes the café's tableware and decides on the main menu.
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:He is the Barista at Rokuhōdō. He grew up and learned his trade in Italy. He was an 'angry young man' as a teenager, but after he was taken in by a Barista there, he learnt the art from him which also changed his character. This is also the reason he has a lever operated espresso machine at Rokuhōdō. He returned to Japan since it was his father's country. Although his coffee is extremely delicious, he is totally clueless about his iffy latte art. He is cheerful and outgoing. He is also a member of the local duck boating club. He often has friendly arguments with Tsubaki.
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:Rokuhōdō's Pâtissier. Although a terrific Pâtissier, he is an introvert, and tends to get nervous from people's eyes . Though he is completely at home with the others at Rokuhōdō, he is still shy when he gets complimented. He has an extreme sweet tooth, and goes around to other cafes to have their sweets and restaurants when they have sweets buffets. He is in charge of the dessert menu and also comes up with some original menus. He also guided Isago to enjoy eating sweets at cafes, and is referred to as 'Master' by him. He is also praised by Tsunozaki, who tells Sui that he acquired a great talent (while referring to Tsubaki). He is usually seen teasing Gure.
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:Sui's pet cat, but adored by all the members of Rokuhōdō and the customers of Rokuhōdō too. Kinako has a very calm and quiet personality and is often seen in front of the cafe, sunbathing.

Other characters

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:Sui's older brother. Stoic and silent in nature, he is the Vice-President of East Side Grand Hotel, which belongs to his father. Though he shares fond childhood memories of Rokuhōdō, where he spent time with Sui and his grandfather, he currently resists coming to Rokuhōdō, saying that "he doesn't belong there". His relationship with Sui seems to be a bit strained, though Sui wants to make up with him.
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:A chirpy, cunning character, Tsunozaki is a famous, top pâtissier, acknowledged for his skills, taste and originality. He works for the East Side Grand Hotel, though he also helps out in other pâtisseries at times. He is also Yakyō's friend. He was first introduced to the members of Rokuhōdō when he asks them to substitute another store in an event in a department store, without telling them his identity. But gives them trouble in the event, by calling in too many customers and the television, when they are not used to it. He later arrives at Rokuhōdō to know and understand more about Sui. Though he appears cunning and unbearable at times, he is a loyal friend, who wants to help Yakyō reconcile with Sui, and also gives out tips on making his desserts better to Tsubaki.
;Takehiko Amagami
:A proud, energetic old man and owner of the Amagamiya, a tea shop (selling tea leaves). He was a customer of the old Rokuhōdō and was encouraged by Sui's grandfather's tea to start business. In the present, he was having temper tantrums due to a customer cancelling their contract in favour of ready-made, bottled tea - this is the time Sui meets him first. He makes a bet with Sui to determine whether he wants to sell Rokuhōdō his tea, and later enters a contract with them. He loves the food and tea at Rokuhōdō, though never admits it, instead coming over for 'inspections'.
;Sae Amagami
:Wife of Takehiko Amagami. She has a calm demeanour as compared with her husband.
;Kotsuru Amagami
:Granddaughter of Takehiko Amagami. A school going child, her knowledge about tea has been tempered by her tea-loving grandfather, and she is a tea lover herself. Her knowledge regarding tea also seems to be high level, as she is able to tell the individual tea leaves from the tea mixture used at Rokuhōdō. She is also shy and timid child, but comes to Rokuhōdō to try to propose to them her grandfather's tea - though she never gets to it. She is also best friends with Gin Yonogura, who is her polar opposite in personality. She learns how to make matcha ice cream from Tsubaki to share with Gin. She also becomes a big fan of Rokuhōdō, often visiting the store with her grandfather.
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:A man with a sweet tooth who works for the magazine G! Moto. He wanted to start a new article in the magazine, listing fancy new cafes, but couldn't gather courage to actually visit said cafes, since they are usually the hangouts of women. He observes Tsubaki going to one such cafe fearlessly, and dubs him first a 'Hero'. He then visits Rokuhōdō, where after meeting Tsubaki, renames him 'Master' for showing him to actually relax in cafes. After this, he gains enough courage to start a new column named listing out cafes a single man can visit. He becomes a regular customer of Rokuhōdō.

Media

Manga

''Rokuhōdō Yotsuiro Biyori'' is written and illustrated by Yū Shimizu and published in Japan by Shinchosha. It began serialization in the bimonthly seinen magazine ''Go Go Bunch'' on October 9, 2013. The chapters have been collected in eighteen ''tankōbon'' volumes as of July 2023.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation was announced in the 19th issue of Shinchosha's ''Go Go Bunch'' magazine. The series is directed by Tomomi Kamiya at Zexcs, with scripts written by Deko Akao and character designs by Kei Anjiki, and aired from April 10 to June 26, 2018. The opening theme is , performed by former SKE48 member Aki Deguchi.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori
2022 Japanese television series debuts
Anime series based on manga
Cooking in anime and manga
Iyashikei anime and manga
Manga adapted into television series
Seinen manga
Shinchosha manga
TV Asahi television dramas
Zexcs