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.

.

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.

Tabira Gallery

I need to update this photo:
The grass has died, but the
charm has burgeoned.

Yakushima isn't exactly a hotspot for art collectors, but I would venture to say the arts are growing here. While there are a few artists—potters, painters, woodworkers, even a jeweller—with private galleries displaying there works, I think the gallery at Tabira with its rotating exhibitions stands out.

Tabira is an established eco-tourism/guide company on Yakushima that recently built a lovely gallery on their premises. It consists of a single minimalist room with a loft and soft, warm lighting. Entrance is free and exhibits—usually the works of a photographer or painter who was inspired by Yakushima—change several times a year, which makes it popular among the locals. I think my favorite past exhibition was by the photographer, Shigeo Horie. However, it is usually empty, and you can take off your shoes, walk up to the loft, and enjoy quiet solicitude with the artwork.

This month is works by Shoko Mukai, a local artist
who uses the island's volcanic ash and iron sand to express
the spiritual side of island life.

It's within walking distance from the airport, so you can enjoy a few minutes of quiet time before catching your flight. There are also a few prints and books for sale.

Location: Koseda 815-31. Just north of the airport beyond the Italian restaurant, Il Mare. (30.3845,130.6578)
Hours: 10:00am to 18:00pm*
Website: http://tabira.biz/gallery/index.html

Hours are subject to change, so please call the gallery or check ahead.

Mori Cafe - Soft Serve on the Go!

It's summer. It's hot. You've spent a long day at the beach or in the mountains. You want nothing more than cold, delicious _______________ .

Alright, I'm willing to bet money you just said beer, but if you hadn't, maybe you would have said ice cream. Which is funny, because, until last year, Yakushima had no ice cream parlors. Crazy, right?

Anyways, Yakushima now has two places that cater to the crowd craving the other cold stuff. One of these is Sola Umi, which dishes up a variety of gelatos on the south side of the island. The other is Mori Cafe, which also offers a small line up of cafe treats but remains a soft-serve ice cream stand at heart.

Mori Cafe is conveniently located near the airport, and there's no waiting. Just walk up to the stand, ask the owner for the staple: a vanilla soft-serve waffle cone, (Actually, this is what we would call a sugar-cone in the US.) and there you are. The fact that this is the only place to get a soft-serve waffle/sugar cone (sorry, no photo because I always finish mine before I remember to to pull out the camera) on the island and the fact that it's super delicious jersey-milk ice cream are bonus points.

Seating is limited to a small deck in the back, but it's not usually crowded.

I've never managed to get a photo of my icecream before it's mostly gone, so I got this photo on the left from my friend, Yuki. But I did take a photo of my green tea latte before drinking it!

UPDATE:
The food menu changes a little every day; but I'm told that the owner sells soft cream to form a customer base; and that he hopes to introduce very different foods to the line up!

Curry on Nan!
With tapioca beads and cheese hidden underneath!
Maybe a bit experimental, but my taste buds approve!

Mori Cafe
Location: Koseda (30.3867,130.6555) Just north of the airport, across the street from Drugstore Mori and the Somes Homestore.
Hours: 11-7, closed on Wednesdays during the off-season. However, the owner is still trying to figure out what hours work best, so you may find Mori closed or opened unexpectedly.
Website: None, but you can find them on the Yakushima-Marche website.

* Hours of business may change, so please call ahead.

Jurin Tea House

I love the decor.

How many times do I drop off clients at the airport and want nothing more than some comfort food? Curry or maybe pasta with meat sauce? And yet, I have to admit, despite all the good reviews I've heard, I've never tried the curry at Jurin Kissa (literally, the Forest Tea House) in Koseda. In fact, the other day was the first time I entered the door! The savory scent of spiced curry wafted in from the kitchen, but still, I didn't try the curry. Why not?

Let me tell you why:  Floats.
All kinds of fruit juices from passion fruit to guava served with a glob of ice cream floating inside. Trust me, Jurin does not forgo the details: My partner and I ordered coffee floats -- vanilla ice cream on ice coffee served with cream and sugar syrup, and even the ice cubes were made of coffee! For a while I forgot that we'd also ordered cake -- cheesecake and lemon tart. Jurin also serves a tankan-orange cake . . . next time!

One of the owners of Jurin was, apparently, on of the folks behind the magazine, Seimei no Shima, and the wall is lined with back issues. If you read Japanese, it's a great insight into life on the island in previous decades. There's a small assortment of tasteful souvenirs. And Jurin is a great place to crack open a magazine: Open spaces, wood paneling with relaxing decor and large drawings on the walls. Details include the glass&bottle rack separating the kitchen and the dining area and the stove flue that come up through the counter. Outside I can see cherry trees, so I know I'll be back in the spring when they're blooming.

 

Location: Koseda, Just up the street between the super/drug store and the home center. (30.3852, 130.6549)
Hours: 10:00-16:30. Closed on Mondays.*
Website: http://www.jurinn.com/

*Hours subject to change, so please check before you go!

La Monstera - For a Great Omurice Lunch

**CLOSED**
(There is a restaurant oriented towards natural foods in its place. It's open for breakfast, too.)

I should probably start with the obvious question: What is omurice?

According to Wikipedia, omurice is

an omelet made with fried rice and usually topped with ketchup.

Hmm. I'm not sure that does this melty, fluffy egg and tomato-and-demi-glace sauce justice, so here's a photo:

Omurice

It's a pretty popular Western-Japanese dish, and for just under 1,000 yen and just minutes south of the airport, the omurice served at La Monstera Cafe could be easily be your first or last lunch in Yakushima. Either way, the light, cheery atmosphere and seating limited to four small tables assures you a relaxed dining experience. I tagged on a mini baked custard for desert and my taste buds were singing for the rest of the day. La Monstera (named after the plant, I assume) also serves a few other dishes, or you can drop in for coffee before catching a flight, but I'm pretty sure most of the locals come for the omurice!

A light and cheery, yet cozy and intimate atmosphere.

This is a monstera plant, but
note that the sign for La Monstera
restaurant is in Japanese:
ラ・モンステラ.

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: 11:30am to 4pm. Open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ONLY*

*Hours are subject to change, so please call the restaurant or check ahead.