Chifeng Street has become over the years a destination for a generation that grew up on Instagram cafes. In all of the little alleys, there are tiny coffee shops, each one more picturesque than the next, hearkening to an older time that feels slightly Japanese, slightly nostalgic, with the textures of analogue throughout. Buubu has been a part of this hip street scene for years now, becoming a popular stop for people who have it saved on their maps or stumble upon it while strolling the street. It has in its own right become a destination for remarkably affordable Japanese ceramics in a picturesque store filled from ground to ceiling with bowls, plates, and other pretty tableware.

The shop layout feels kind of like one of those old multi-generational stores that you would see in a side way street in Kyoto. It’s meticulously curated, and while the inventory is enough to overwhelm in the tight space, it is really well organized. Upstairs, they have a cafe which is like any other cafe in the area: aesthetic muted palette, with coffee and bites composed on the dishware they sell below. It feels like a sanctuary above the pedestrian stream street level, with a balcony full of plants and ample light brightening the room furnished with vintage wooden tables and chairs.