About a 10-minute walk from JR Motomachi Station, and 3 minutes from Hanshin Nishi-Motomachi Station. In the Nishi-Motomachi area, there’s a community-rooted American diner on the street level. Through large glass windows, warm light glows, and a neon sign reading “LAUNDRY DINER” shines quietly.
Enter the shop, and you’ll see a counter stretching to the right. Beyond it, through glass, you can see the coin laundry. In the American-style interior, upbeat music plays as laundry quietly spins.
“CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER” - a coin laundry × American diner. The person who created this space in Nishi-Motomachi is Do-san, who has been running bars and events in Kobe.
A Shop Born from Laundry Time During Solo Living
The origin of this shop lies in Do-san’s own experience living alone. Once a week, he’d throw his laundry into a coin laundry and spend the hour it took to finish. He’d grab food nearby, walk through a park, or scroll through his smartphone to pass the time.
“It would be nice if they played movies. If there was good coffee…”
That simple feeling became the starting point for this place.
From Oita to Kobe - Starting with a Bar
Born in Oita Prefecture in 1987. After training for about three years at an authentic creative Japanese restaurant in Osaka, he quit, saying “the salaryman life wasn’t for me.” With a desire to start something of his own, he moved to Kobe at age 26 and opened a bar in Sannomiya in 2016.
Valuing connections with people, he created a place where friends brought friends, and through hosting music events, he gradually expanded his presence in Kobe.
A New Challenge During the Pandemic
Given the nature of the bar business, daily drinking had become routine. Around the time he began questioning whether this way of working was sustainable, COVID-19 struck the world.
He wanted to connect with a broader range of generations. People who don’t drink, children, elderly people.
With these thoughts, while leaving the bar operations to staff, he opened “CBS Bubble” in September 2022, with initials standing for Cafe, Bar, and Sentaku (laundry in Japanese).
The “Slightly Too Spacious” 220㎡ Canvas
During the property search, he was introduced to this location in Nishi-Motomachi. Considering the coin laundry and event usage, he needed a certain amount of space.
Do-san laughs, saying “Honestly, I thought it was a bit too spacious (laughs).”
In the end, this 220㎡ canvas shaped what CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER is today. As a place with multiple functions - diner, coin laundry, event space - this spaciousness comes alive.
Food Review - Generous Burgers and Homemade Ginger Ale
In February 2025, CBS Bubble was reborn as CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER, with food elements centered around hamburgers taking a more prominent role.
The hamburgers are introduced through a franchise arrangement with JACK’S PIZZA&BURGERS, a renowned shop in Amagasaki that Do-san had long been connected with. They serve flavors that have been supported by the local community for years, adapted to the atmosphere of this place.
On this day, I tried the “CBS Burger,” exclusive to CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER. It costs 900 yen for the burger alone, with a set including fries and soft drink (+450 yen), upgraded to homemade ginger ale (+200 yen).
When you actually taste it, despite its substantial appearance, it’s surprisingly light. While the patty and cheese have a strong presence, the overall balance is good, leaving no heaviness after the meal. Light meals, desserts, and alcoholic beverages are also available, naturally accommodating uses like having just coffee between laundry cycles or a quick drink while the dryer runs.
Putting Down Roots in the Community - Initiatives in Kobe’s Nishi-Motomachi
SUNDAY IN THE PARK
In 2020, as events disappeared from the city during the pandemic, Do-san launched “SUNDAY IN THE PARK,” a free festival held at Minato-no-mori Park.
“All events were canceled. But I thought we could do it outdoors.”
While he laughs that there was initially some frustration to vent, the significance of continuing to protect a gathering place was substantial.
About maintaining it sustainably, Do-san says:
“Not every year, but once every two years is fine. You can see kids who were in strollers walking around, see them grow.”
The third event was held in 2024, with the fourth planned for 2026. The free festival draws 5,000-6,000 people, becoming a place where diverse cultures intersect - from food stalls and apparel to DJs and children’s art spaces.
Weekly Children’s Cafeteria Every Monday
At CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER, they run a children’s cafeteria every Monday. When local mothers tell him “this really helps since I’m always so busy,” it becomes Do-san’s encouragement.
During the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, Do-san himself volunteered on-site. When manpower was short and he posted on Instagram asking for help, parents from the community he’d met through the children’s cafeteria naturally gathered.
“Moms are really fast at cutting vegetables,” Do-san laughs. It was a moment when he truly felt glad he’d been doing it.
Community connections demonstrated their strength even in emergencies.
Weekend Event Space
The 220㎡ space changes its character on weekends.
DJ events, markets, rakugo performances, ghost story sessions, breakdancing tournaments, art exhibitions. Sometimes even fan meetings with Vissel Kobe players take place.
People doing laundry and people enjoying events naturally coexist in the same space - this is the daily life of this shop.
Laundry Subscription Service - CBS LAUNDRY
“Laundry involves surprisingly many tasks. We’ll handle all of them.”
Born from this concept is the laundry service “CBS LAUNDRY.” Full-scale operations are planned to begin in 2026.
The system involves pickup, washing, drying, folding, and delivery back to your home. It’s a service that takes care of all laundry-related processes.
In the future, they’re also considering uses as welfare support for the elderly or as a “gift” to help with daily life.
A Slightly Stylish, Approachable Community Shop
Doing laundry. Having a meal. Meeting people.
What Do-san aims for is a slightly stylish, approachable shop in the community. A place where everyone from grandparents to babies can casually drop by.
“Life is a series of laundry choices. Make good choices in good places.”
CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER continues to be a “playground” for multiple generations in Kobe’s Nishi-Motomachi today.
CBS Bubble LAUNDRY DINER
- 📍 Address: Sakashita Building 1F, 7-3-11 Kitanagasa-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
- 🚃 Access:
- About 10 minutes walk from JR Kobe Station / JR Motomachi Station
- 3 minutes walk from Hanshin Nishi-Motomachi Station
- 5 minutes walk from Hankyu Nishi-Motomachi Station
- ⏰ Hours (Diner):
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun: 11:00-20:00
- Fri, Sat: 11:00-23:00
- 🗓 Closed: Tuesdays
- 🧺 Laundry: Available 24 hours
- 📱 Instagram: @cbsbubble_laundrydiner_kobe
*Hours and holidays are subject to change. Please check Instagram before visiting.
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