Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Shima Cafe "La Monstera" : Breakfast before your flight

¥450 is pretty standard for a cup of jo and a bit of down time in a cafe, but there are some cafes (quite a few in the mountains of central Japan) that continue the tradition of "morning service."




Shima Cafe La❤️Monstera (Yes, there's a heart in the name, and yes, this is the former La Monstara with new ownership.) offers toast and a small salad with your coffee for just ¥100 yen more, or make that brown rice porridge and pickles instead of toast for ¥200. Also, the ice coffee (¥600) is very good if you like your coffee black and smooth.

This little spot is one of the few cafes serving breakfast in Yakushima, and it may be the only cafe here that serves only breakfast. Since it's just south of the airport, why not get up a little early and stop in for a final piece of quiet before a morning flight.
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This is a monstera plant, but 
note that the sign is written:
La❤️モンステラ.
Shima Cafe La❤️Monstera
Location: A few minutes south of the airport, near the Hayasaki (早崎) bus stop in the back of a small cluster of shops on the ocean-side of the road. (30.3746,130.6648)
Hours: 7am to 11am. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays.*



*Hours are subject to change, so please call the restaurant or check ahead
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Canopy Walk and Tree-House Cafe

If anything can bring out your inner-child like a walk in the Moss Forest full of babbling brooks and curious deer, it's got to be this DIY super-project: The Canopy Walk and Tree-House Cafe near Senpiro Waterfall.

Alright, before we go any further, if you can't handle a few six-legged friends, or if you're looking for Disney-style luxury and high-tech safety features, or if you expect to be repelling/belaying/bouldering, you're probably not ready for "Wild Level 1," let alone "Wild Level 5," which is Canopy-talk for, "Please proceed with caution."
Seriously.
While first-graders and up are welcome (If you have kids, bring them here!) everyone gets a belt with a clip that you are instructed to keep hooked on to the ropes at all times. Now if your ego is too much too wear a safety belt in the kids' house, you need to check that adult attitude in the parking lot. So, yes, , , ,


you will make wishes when you play ring toss. . .

you will proclaim the love of your life (Hope you brought your significant other as well as the kids!) to the mountains, , ,

, and for every step you take up into the tree tops, you'll peel back another year towards childhood!

The owner, in addition to speaking Japanese, Chinese, and English, is always coming up with new ideas and adding subtle surprises to the tree-walk, the parking lot, even the rest rooms!

The best addition is the Tree-House Cafe. This is a tree-house you rent out for the cost of a cup of coffee or juice (nothing fancy, but it's not really about the coffee). Call ahead to make a reservation, because there is only enough space for one party of conspirators in this tree-top hide-out.




Canopy Walk
Location: Haru 677-44 (30.24918, 130.57296) Southwest of Senpiro Waterfall.
Hours: 9am/10am~4pm/5pm depending on the day.*
Price: Around ¥1000 for adults, less for students, more if you do the "Canopy Rope" and ¥500 for the cafe.
Website: http://canopywalk.web.fc2.com/