Hinichijou Welfare Café

A cup of coffee; a furry bear paw; and a hole in a gray wall. This was the view of the outside of a special coffee shop in Shanghai. The coffee shop, known as Hinichijou, made the headlines when it opened in 2020. It became famous not only for its unique service, but also for the touching story behind it. Hinichijou is actually a public welfare program. Its main purpose is to provide meaningful job opportunities for people with disabilities. The wall was originally built to “protect” these workers, allowing them to work in a comfortable environment while still interacting with customers in a creative way.

In the past few years, Hinichijou has gradually grown into a small coffee chain. There are now more than ten shops across various cities in China. More than 60 per cent of the workers have hearing or visual problems. Interestingly, the walls, which were once a symbolic feature, have been removed since 2022. This change shows that the disabled workers have gained more confidence and are no longer shy about meeting customers face to face. They now communicate more directly and warmly with the guests.

On April 4, 2023, Hinichijou opened its first overseas shop in Singapore, marking an important step in its expansion. The shop has hired two workers with autism. “They’re proud of their work,” said manager Lee Swee Keng. “They really work hard and pay great attention to every detail.” The Singapore branch aims to be more than just a coffee shop. “We hope that our shop will become a place in Singapore to spread the idea of doing good and promote social inclusion,” Lee added.