Built & reviewed by David Richards
Summary Table
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Design & Artistic Concept | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 8/10 |
| Engineering & Precision | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Instructions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Lighting & Electronics | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 |
| Customization Potential | ⭐⭐☆☆☆ 4/10 |
| Build Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10 |
| Final Result | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1010 |
| Overall Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐10/10 |
This is one of Cutebee’s miniature houses and it is a wonderful kit for a beginner to the world of book nooks.
The name ‘Oishii Kyoto おいしい京都 literally means ‘Delicious Kyoto’, reflecting the city’s famous food culture and traditional cuisine.
Miniature houses are very quick to build and this one was no exception ~ 2.5 hours
Japanese Wording
Some very impressive Japanese words on this kit whereas most do not make much sense normally.
おいしいラーメン屋
Oishii Rāmen-ya
Literally:
- おいしい (oishii) = delicious
- ラーメン (rāmen) = ramen
- 屋 (ya) = shop/store
A natural English translation would be:
- Delicious Ramen Shop
- Tasty Ramen House
- The Delicious Ramen Shop
It’s a simple, generic name rather than a proper restaurant name like “Ichiran” or “Ippudo.” In Japan it wouldn’t be unusual for a small local shop to have a descriptive sign like this, although many real ramen restaurants use more distinctive names.
A few other bits of Japanese on your model:
- ラーメン on the fabric curtain (noren) simply says “Ramen.”
- 営業中 on the hanging sign means “Open” or “Open for Business.”
Instructions
The instruction manual is a coloured A4 one and the instructions are clear and precise with a completed photo after each stage of the build
The first part of the build is constructing the kitchen are with fridges, shelves and a cooker. These are added to the base along with the chef.
The rest of the base is then filled up with a “beat-box”, stools and a diner and the mandatory cat
In what is a really nice touch from Cutebee the signs above the counter are actually real Japanese showing
Tsukemen, Soy Sauce Ramen, Salt Ramen, Miso Ramen
The side walls have a few ornaments added on but slot invery easily.
Lighting
There are 2 LEDs and a touch sensor in the kit which all fit onto the roof very easily.
The Doors
The doors actually caught me out. It is actually a sliding door which is the first one that I have come across. So I spent a while scratching my head as to how the mechanism worked.
The final part is adding the scenery at the front as well as putting the front on.
Final Thoughts
This is very different to the complex builds that I often tackle and it was a nice break. Definitely a great kit for a beginner
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