january-2011

Miki Suyama (center) runs
Dep Mai Aesthetic & Spa,
where Kazuyo regularly goes
for nail care.
Dep Mai
Aesthetic & Spa
15b/56
Le Thanh Ton
Street, Ben Nghe
Ward, District 1,
tel: +84 (8) 3825
1962
Since 2001, Miki Suyama has
been running Dep Mai Esthetic & Spa in
Ho Chi Minh City. Kazuyo is a regular at
her spa. “Miki Suyama is a very loving,
caring person,” she says.
Miki was doing similar work in Japan
before she was invited to work in Saigon
for one year. “But when it was time to go
home, some investors helped me set up
Dep Mai and I stayed,” she smiles.
Today Miki considers Saigon her
home. The pace is slow compared to her
life in Japan where her days began at
5.30am. “When I return to Japan, I get
so tired. Vietnam is like a mother to me.
The people take care of me. Sometimes,
different cultural backgrounds create
friction, but if I go to another country, it
would be the same. I try hard to adapt to
the culture here,” says Miki who speaks
Vietnamese fl uently.
Dep Mai is hidden deep in the alleys
off Le Thanh Ton Street, far away from
the notorious Saigon traffi c. This is
where the Japanese community come
for pampering. The spa has reasonable
prices for facials, massages, nail care,
and more.
T URNING JAPANESE IN HCMC
Kesera Café is
Kazuyo’s dream
realized, where she
serves her special
Kesera burger.
Kesera
The little café with a garden and Van
Gogh yellow walls serves fusion
Japanese food and addictive homemade
desserts like banana cream pie and
chocolate tart. Serious dessert lovers
must book way in advance for the
weekend dessert buffet.
But more than a place to eat, Kesera
has become the hub of the Japanese
social scene in Saigon, perhaps since it’s
open practically around the clock. The
staff serves Japanese fusion breakfast,
lunch, afternoon tea and cake, themed
dinners, and late night drinks.
{ 63 }
26/1
Le Thanh Ton
Street, District 1,
tel: +84 (8) 3827
0443
“I’ve become a middle
person, the one people come
to for help. It’s a small community.
We have to take care of each other,”
says Kazuyo who knows everyone
in the Japanese community. “We
actually close at 11pm, but one night we
had a birthday party, and suddenly a
customer brought out a harmonica. One
of our friends saw it and started playing
Japanese nursery rhymes. We all
started singing!” The name Kesera draws
from the Italian phrase, “Che sara sara”
or “What will be, will be”. That’s the easy
attitude Kazuyo takes nowadays.