bb:geek — Sci-Fi Gallery/Cafe Near Miyajima, Hiroshima

bb:geek Stairs Gallery Cafe & Bar is a sci-fi–themed cafe, gallery, and bar located near Miyajima in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan.

A Sci-Fi Cafe Hidden in a Quiet Hiroshima Neighborhood

In the middle of a sedate residential community of typically narrow Japanese streets stands a large, windowless, Tatooine-colored cube. Bb:geek Stairs Gallery Cafe & Bar is a 10-minute walk past old houses and small gardens on the road from JR Ono-Ura Station. It is just two stations south of JR Miyajimaguchi Station, making it an easy stop when visiting Miyajima.

Movie Memorabilia From Star Wars to Alien

Step through the heavy, windowless door and be met by a life-sized C3P0 and R2D2, surrounded by helmeted stormtroopers, clone troopers, bounty hunters, and well-known Star Wars heroes. Further in, the collection expands to the Predator, Alien, Wonder Woman, Batman, cult movie posters, tubes of floating xenomorphs, and facehuggers hatching from slimy eggs.

The collection spans more than 30 years. Every meter of the shop is covered with props, toys, statues, displays and models. Even the toilet is filled with star ships and figurines.

A Gallery Cafe Built Like a Movie Theater

The interior is dark with spotlights, like a movie theater before the show starts. Bb:geek operates as part cafe, part bar, and part sci-fi cinema nostalgia space. The building is designed so music plays with theater-style acoustics.

The sound system is strong. When music plays, you really feel the bass. It sounds and feels like being at the cinema.

R15+ Restriction

Like films, the café has an age restriction. In Japan, R15+ denotes content that is legally restricted to those aged 15 and older. While much of bb:geeks’ collection draws on Star Wars, some displays include material that is disturbing, nude, or sexually provocative. In at least one instance, a bust depicting a woman’s severed torso behind the register, combines all three. As a result, the café does not allow children under 15 years old.

Japanese Comfort Food at bb:geek

With large portions, generous toppings and quality ingredients, the menu is a cut above what is normally served at Japanese museum cafes and could stand on its own without the theater surroundings. 

The menu centers on Japanese comfort food, dishes like curry, rice-bowls and pasta. The owner also makes hand-drip coffee and milk shakes. The dishes, like the chicken nanban, are made with carefully selected low-pesticide rice. The curry is bursting with flavor: spicy, tangy, a little sweet, complex and rich. And the soup served on the side is reminiscent of Korean kongnamul guk. 

Second Floor Gallery and Model Collection

The second floor is more of a museum than a cafe. Food is not allowed there and guests must remove their shoes before going up. Once there, you can find Japanese versions of blockbuster movie posters and busts of major Star Wars characters rising illuminated against the far wall. In the middle are life-like figurines of characters from the Alien and Predator movies as well as characters from DC comic movies and more. The owner is a huge gearhead, and in addition to the sci-fi collection, a corner of the space features a large display of model cars that attracts motoring enthusiasts.

Owner: 石井 久美 (Ishii Kumi)

Chef and owner Kumi Ishii, also known as bb_geek_jabba_momma on Instagram, began collecting at two years old, starting with toy cars. Surrounded by brothers, she later moved into film goods.

After decades of collecting, she opened bb:geek Gallery Cafe & Bar at the age of 55.

Try These Other Local Movie Tie-ins

Get Harry Potter vibes at Owl de Base Owl Cafe in downtown Hiroshima. They have no deliberate ties to the film franchise, but you can make the connection yourself as you hobnob with a variety of owls and other predatory birds. Or if you like Steven Spielberg movies, visit Mikawa Mu Valley in nearby Iwakuni. Mu Valley is a renovated tungsten mine turned into a mystery-adventure theme park. They also have no direct film ties, but their park naturally lends itself to fedora-wearing adventurers.