PonPon Sungun Burger

[CLOSED] 

If you're driving around the southwest side of Yakushima, your lunch stops are pretty limited, but fortunately, Kurio boasts both a wonderful soba restaurant and a weekend burger joint that the American in me craves. And Sungun Burger isn't just a burger stop—the owner is also a shoemaker and you can browse the adjacent leather shop in this clever, fun-for-all-ages building as you wait for your burger!

For around ¥1000 you can get a drink and a burger., and you can choose pork, beef, or even wagyu! (Sorry, no vegan yet at time of writing.)

Expect to pay upwards of ¥20000 for a stylish pair of custom PonPon shoes, hand-made from quality materials. (Photo coming soon.)

.

Ponpon❤Sungun Burger

Location: A short walk north from the swimming beach in Kurio. (30.2682, 130.4226)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pon-pon-sungun-burger-1098029863547822/
Hours: 11am-ish to 5pm-ish. Weekends only. (During the week, the shoe shop moves to Anbo.)

*Hours are subject to change, so please check the website.

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.

NAbura! -- Warm up after a hike with noodles in a friendly atmosphere.

**CLOSED**
(There is a new ramen shop in its place.)
After trudging through the rain for ten hours, I want nothing more than calories when I  get back to town. Local specialities like flying fish and sashimi are all good, but sometimes all you want is a bowel of noodles. And I'm not talking about chicken soup; I'm talking about ramen! Or even better. . . abura-men!

The literal translation of "abura-men" is "oil noodles," but don't let that turn you off. This is ramen without the broth water! Oh, I love the warm, salty greasyness of Kyushu-style ramen, but after a cold hike in the rain, sometimes I don't need my noodles to be soaked too! At NAbura, the signature dish comes in two phases: Phase 1 will fill your craving, and Phase 2 will fill your stomach!

Phase 1: When you order your noodles, the server will tell you to stir everything up as best you can. (You can add a little vinegar, too, but I like to save that for the next part. . . ) Even then, after you've slurped up the noodles, you're bound to end up with a pile scrumptious morsels at the bottom of the bowel. That's okay. In fact, do leave some extra morsels behind for the next phase!

Phase 2: Let the server know you've finished the noodles and he'll bring you a bowl of rice to dump atop the left-over morsels. I usually order the "Omori" (extra noodles) and together with the rice it's about the right size to fill me up.


If you're extra-hungry, it's all good though: Fried rice, or  garlicky gyoza, or fresh-tasting deep-fried chicken, or even ramen with the broth!






I like the atmosphere, too. It feels like it could be a little noodle shop tucked away in a big town. There's counter space in front of the TV, but there's also table-space and you can see into the kitchen.

By the way, if Nabura leaves you hungry for more ramen, at lunch time you can find ramen down the street at Jijiya, a local staple, or up the hill at Koshiba--but be forwarned: Koshiba is favorited by the locals and once they run out of broth, that's it for the day!

NAbura
Location: Anbo 140 (In the heart of Anbo.)
Hours: 11:30am-14:00pm, 6:30pm-9:30pm, closed on Sundays.*
Website: https://www.facebook.com/屋久島ラーメン-Nabura-1620380304955160/*Of course, hours are subject to change!

Ki no Mi -- Order the mushroom pizza!

For years, now, I'd been hearing about "the best pizza on the island" located somewhere "on the way to Sankara," but the only eatery I could think of in the area was an unpretentious cafe, and it seemed to be closed rather often. So when a bunch of friends called to say they were going to go check out this pizza place, I jumped aboard.

The full name of Ki no Mi is "Ki no Mi: Stone-Oven Bread Factory" (Ki no Mi meaning Fruit of the Tree), and, yes, they have good bread. In fact (at the time of writing), a couple times a week the Pukori Don shop just south of the airport features a selection of Ki no Mi breads.

However, we didn't go there for the bread. We didn't go there for the relaxed atmosphere with a view of the ocean. We went for the pizza. We ordered several and were quite happy with the thin, crispy crust covered in sauce and cheese. But we were overcome with unanimous taste-bud happiness when we reached the mushroom pizza.

Get the mushroom pizza, or two of them. That's all you need to know.

(I should probably mention though, that Ki no Mi is up in the hills, quite a distance from the main road. If you can't get there and you are craving pizza, Il Mare, which is just next to the airport, is an Italian eatery with a variety of wonderful pizzas which I hope to post about soon!)


Ki no Mi(樹の実)
Location: Mugio 335-75. On the windy road that leads to both Sankara and Senpiro Waterfall.
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays ONLY.*

*Of course, hours are subject to change!

YukiGokeYa: Shaved ice for adults

"Coffee float" kakigori

Say you just arrived in Yakushima. You just debarked from Yakushima II, the "slow ferry" and, on a whim, you walk into the first building you see. (Maybe you even had some outdated information that said the information booth was there.) Well, these days, there's not much inside besides the ferry ticket counter, a restroom, and some coin lockers that can only be used until 5pm. EXCEPT for the cafe that opened last year on the second floor. You would never guess what an amazing treat awaits those who wonder upstairs: Snow cones have grown up. Kakigori has reached a level you've never experienced.

When Yukigokeya first opened, everyone was talking about the "new curry place," but even though they no longer serve curry, you won't leave hungry (unless you're prone to cold headaches). Now they serve toast and muffins, gourmet coffee, and kakigori (shaved ice deserts). When I last went, they had Ethiopian coffee, Mandarin coffee from Indonesia, and Brazilian coffee with a taste "to make you dance." My advice: If you like rich, dark coffee, order the Mandarin coffee if they have it, and pay the extra 80 yen for an order-made single serving. I know 480 yen is expensive for coffee, but it's good.

"Coffee float" on the left and azuki-milk (red beans with cream) on the right.

Wait! Before you order the coffee, order a shaved ice! At 500 to 600 yen, these aren't exactly cheap either, but these are no carnival-style snow cones! I ordered the "coffee float" kakigori, which features a good serving of ice cream tucked into a mound of fluffy ice. Next to the bowl of ice is a spoon and two small  pitchers: One with delicious black coffee and the other with creamy milk with which to flavor the ice. I have never had a coffee float this good.

2016 Winter Menu: Apple & Banana Hotcake!

I wouldn't have expected such a stylish cafe (with an equally stylish women's fashion shop attached) in the ferry port!

Yuki Goke Ya (雪　苔　屋)
Location: Miyanoura Port, 2nd Floor of the big white building (above the Yakushima Ferry 2 ticket office)
Hours: 10:30am to 4:30pm, closed on Wednesdays and sometimes other days too.*
Website: http://yukigokeya.blogspot.jp/

Check out the pottery!

Nomado Cafe

The colorful, heavy plastic sandals sold here
are the footwear of choice of many locals. 

Nomado cafe hardly needs an introduction. Despite being located on the main road well outside of town, it is quite well-known around the island, and with good reason.

Opening the door reveals a friendly atmosphere. Photos from Southeast Asia and books on Yakushima, as well as various ceramics, glassware, hammocks, and plastic sandals to buy add to the light and colorful interior. Seating has the relaxed feeling of an eternal brunch-time.

The menu is limited, but not for want of variety. This isn't the typical cake&coffee cafe. Two different lunches -- a spicy minced chicken and a curry with a tropical flare -- for hungry guests, and for everyone else there are specialty-flavor gelatos and a drink menu with an extensive line-up of teas.



I happened to have already eaten lunch, so I opted for a sweet chai tea and honey-milk gelato made with local honey. Tasty way to brighten up any day!

Nomado Cafe
Location: 565 Hara (30.2434,130.5746) Just west of the Dobuchigawa (泥渕川) bus stop.
Hours: Saturday through Tuesday, 11:30am to 5pm. Lunch served until 2:30pm.*
Website: http://nomado-cafe.seesaa.net/

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

Isaribi - Authentic Yakushima Cooking

Alright, I'm going to be bluntly honest: If you're looking for a quiet, peaceful dinner, you should probably go somewhere else, and if you eat at the counter, you should be prepared for a bit of clamour from the kitchen. (One could argue a bit of clamour shows how close the staff are to each other.)

But the food is so darn good it makes up for all the fuss and then some. Isaribi is extremely popular, and you'll want to make a reservation during the tourist season. It's hard to visit Yakushima without being served a flying fish fried whole or broken-neck mackerel sashimi, (and you can eat those here too! In fact, the mackerel is very good!) but this is my next recommendation to excite your taste buds. Very Japanese, very Yakushima, and very good.

Closing a rainy day with an original
fish&yama-imo porridge (left front)
and ocha-dzuke!

The menu has a rather skillful English translation, although I don't think English does Japanese cooking justice. Set meals run around 1400 yen, or you can order several individual dishes. There's a lot of tempura, a lot of sea food, some ocha-dzuke (rice, topping, and tea that you mix together and eat like a porridge) dishes, and a whole bunch more. Many dishes incorporate locally popular foods like mackerel or gooey grated Japanese yams called yama-imo. The chef often watches proudly from the kitchen to see your reaction to your first bite. I never let him down.

Isaribi
Location: Miyanoura 2450−64　(30.4205,130.5813), on the main road near the high school.
Hours: 5pm-21:30pm (I believe.) Closed on Wednesdays.*


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

Maruya Cafe - Think Outside the Box for Tropical Chillout

They say good things come in small packages, but I have to admit I have passed Maruya Cafe hundreds of times without stopping because it was raining and I didn't realize there is indoor counter seating. Well, I finally stopped by, and I have to say, the owner has managed to pack a lot into this little establishment.

The menu is surprisingly extensive, and the owner is happy to accommodate requests if he can. For example, the menu changes from winter to summer, and he's added a pasta lunch in addition to hotdogs and snack foods. This place is jut as much a stylish little bar as it is a cafe. You can eat in or order to go, and if you make a reservation, you can even have a barbeque on the patio. The owner does not speak much English, but he's done his best to translate the menu for foreign visitors.

I was drawn to the sign describing Hawaiian Iced Coffee and . . . oh dear. I could go on for paragraphs about this cold, sweet, creamy, frothy blend. Unlike your typical (fill-in-the-name-of-a-chain-cofee-shop) iced coffee that's mostly crushed ice, this drink was worth the price-tag. Underneath the layer of froth and coffee, at the very bottom, is a layer of sweet condensed milk. Give it a little whisk and you have heaven in a glass.

So enough about my new energy drink! The interior is cozy, but cozy like home, not cozy like the Tokyo Metro. Take off your shoes at the entrance and leave the grit of daily life outside. The wide counter separates the dining area from the kitchen nicely, and, in this tight space, you'll probably appreciate the fact that the bathroom is outside.

This section of Kusugawa isn't a big stop for tourists, although many people pass through when traveling bewteen Miyanoura and Anbo. And just a couple minutes up the street from Maruya Cafe is Yawaraka, the forest fragrance factory that immerses visitors in calm. So if you're looking for a little time out from the tribulations of hiking in Yakushima, be careful not to overlook this town.

Maruya Cafe
Location: Kusugawa 1473-72 (30.40388,130.6181). Makinogawa or Shimomakino bus stop.
Hours: Thursday~Monday, 10am to 5pm.*
Website: www.facebook.com/MaruyaCafe

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

St. Pote

Looking for an atmospheric night out? Or a casual lunch with a touch of class? How about a couple of cocktails? For inspired western dining with an impeccable riverside view, St. Pote (pronounced san poté, and written 散歩亭 in Japanese) in Anbo is in a class of its own.

At first glance, you'll be struck by the building, renovated by one of my favorite local architect/builders. The interior is full of light, and provides a welcome escape from the space-saving boxiness of city living. The entrance and terrace have the light, airiness of a lunch cafe, while St. Pote's roots as a jazz bar are obvious in the first floor bar room. Quiet during the day, and often a bit boisterous at night, inside, a small selection of souvenirs and Japanese books and a rotating display of hanging art remind visitors of Yakushima's charm.

The food is about quality, presentation, and taste, although I wouldn't recommend lunch if your stomach feels like a black hole. I often meet the owner out looking for wild vegetables, and the drink list also offers many locally produced tastes. I think most folks who comes here orders a full meal, but when I envision the outdoor area as well as the rotating desert list (yes, you can get a cofee+desert set) and tropical drink list, (I'm looking forward to beer with passion fruit-syrup on my next visit!) I have to recommend St. Pote for its appeal as a cafe and bar as well as a restaurant.

So the next time your partner asks where you'd like to go for a lunch or dinner date: St. Pote, Yakushima.

Oh no! I just realized that for all the times I've eaten here, I've failed to take a photo of the food! lol. Quick, someone send me a photo before I have to head over there for another beautiful meal! Well, St. Pote's website has plenty of photos, but let me warn you not to look on an empty stomach!


Location: Anbo 2364-17 (30.3127,130.6524), on the south side of the little bridge over the Anbo River.
Hours: 11am-2pm (but you can stay until 3pm) and 6pm-11pm (but you can stay until midnight). Closed for lunch on Sundays. Closed for dinner on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.
Website: http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~st.pote/

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

Note about Parking: I do not recommend trying to park a car in the little alley where St. Pote is located. Instead, look for community parking. (For example, the pagoda next to the bridge has parking if you take the first left on the other side of the traffic light.) Of course, if you're staying in Anbo, leave the car behind so that you can indulge in the drink menu!

Kiina - Cafe next to the Banyan Tree Park

The sleepy town of Shitogo doesn't usually make the tourist books, but it's got a few things going for it, like the Shirakawa organic tea farms in the foot hills, a beautifully clear river, the Banyan Tree Park by the coast, and--as of this March--Kiina Cafe.

Banyan Tree Park next door

Honestly, I've always thought the Banyan Tree Park leaves something to be desired--maybe once the trees have matured another 30 years or so it will be amazing. But pair the Banyan Tree Park with Kiina, and you have a descent afternoon destination for folks staying in the North, or  riding bicycles from Miyanoura.

The entranceway
to Kiina

Kiina has a warm, homey atmosphere that starts on your walk from the parking lot through what feels like someone's backyard to the front door. Slide (don't push) the door open and you'll be greeted with the day's offerings. Today there were two cakes and a bacon-tomato-mushroom quiche. I opted for the quiche which was joined by a green pea porridge. So perfect for a rainy day!


Take your shoes off and you can browse the tatami-mat area, where there are displays of locally-sewn Thai pants and the owner's handmade accessory line. The book nook has only a small selection of reading, but it's a good place to bring your own book. The owner's husband happens to be one of Yakushima's popular hiking guides; so I wonder if this won't become a hotspot for knowledge exchange as well as a quaint, quiet spot nestled between the Shitogo's port and the Banyan Tree Park.

Kiina
Location: Shitogo (30.44888,130.5197), next to the Shitogo Banyan Tree Park.
Hours: 10am - 6pm on  Thursday through Saturday. (Hours subject to change as the owner tries to figure out the best hours for customers.)

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.

Issou Coffee Roastery

I've been searching for this cafe for years, literally. You see, two years ago, I had a client from Korea who brought this article that mentioned the Issou Coffee Roastery (Issou Coffee Baisenjo), and the article included a map, and the map placed the cafe squarely in the middle of a hillside forest. D'oh!


 The Issou Coffee is run by a husband-wife team, and when I happened to meet the wife selling samples at a bazaar on the south side of the island earlier this year I was thrilled to learn that Issou Coffee is actually very easy to find: It's right on the main road, standing by itself in front of the park where the Nuno-biki Waterfall flows. I suppose I never noticed it because it only looks like a cafe for the five hours it's open on business days.

During the hours of 1-6, it's the quintissential cafe:

It's chic, with an impressive turntable behind the counter that comes alive during occasional music parties.

It's simple; no frills, no long menu.

It's cosmopolitan. Today's brew is a Thai coffee from from Brazil.

It's relaxing, with outdoor space to sip a latte in good weather.

It's sophisticated, harboring a range of alternative Japanese books by authors with deep ties to Yakushima.

It's retro, harkening back to the generation of Japan's answer to the beat movement.

I haven't yet mentioned Sansei Yamao (1938-2001), a poet whose name resonates with the beat movement in Japan, both a big reason for many people to visit the community upstream in Issou and for many others a big reason to steer clear of the area. That will have to wait for another blog post, but if you grew up in the beat/hippie generation, you may feel some kindred spirits calling.

If, like me, you weren't born yet, you can still sense the import of ideals seeping up from floorboards.

My reminiscing about days I never knew in a land I've only recently moved to was cut short when the shop's husband arrived with their son on a skateboard. YES. And if you want a second opinion, check out this column in ANA's Japan travel blog.

Issou Coffee Roastery, where turntables
mix beats and skateboards with imported beans
and the seeds of thought.

Issou Coffee Roastery
Location: Issou 2282-2 (30.453,130.492) at the Nunobiki Waterfall Park, east of the Issou Iriguchi bus stop.
Hours: 1pm-6pm, closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.*
Website: http://issou-coffee.com

  

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

Smiley Cafe in Anbo

What better way to end a
trip to Yakushima than with
a hot cup of Joe at a quaint
cafe with a view of the port?

Residents of Anbo know that the best way to pass time away is to sit along the river bank and stare out at the ocean.

For those of us who happen to have a sweet tooth or a coffee craving,  the best location is Smiley. My impression of Smiley is clean, cozy, cute and above all cheerful. Here, food is appreciated not by quantity, but by the thoughtfulness served with each creation, from soups and muffins to custard parfaits.


Since much of Yakushima runs on island time -- either you're up and going at 4am or you're not going to open your eyes until mid-morning -- finding breakfast anywhere outside of your hotel can be a bit tricky. But in Anbo a slow morning begins at 9:30am at Smiley.

Left: The seasonal speciality of winter 2015: French toast!
Right: Ooh! Yakushima-themed cookies!

Location: Anbo, near the river between the port and the bridge. (30.31432,130.6565)
Hours: 9:30-6pm. Closed on Tuesdays*
Website: http://cafe-smiley.info/

*Hours of business may change, so please check the website or call ahead.

Komorebi Okonomiyaki

Gourmet okonomiyaki -- YES!
Let me just state for the record: hen I make okonomiyaki, it's anything but gourmet: Mix some okonomiyaki flour and water and shredded cabbage in a bowel, throw in any leftovers sitting in the fridge, and vaguely try to copy the pancake-pizza hybrid I last saw either at a crowded festival stall or on a countertop grill in bustling Osaka. Teppan Okonomiyaki Komorebi is the antithesis of the okonomiyaki that come out of my kitchen.

The river is so clear it's easy to miss!

A handful of restaurants have opened in the past couple years, but Komorebi stands out. First, the mood of any visit is set before you even walk in the door, because Komorebi is located next to the gorgeous river that flows down from Shiratani Unsuikyo.

The interior has a very personal feeling, with ambient lighting and a very limited amount of seating.

I've never seen okonomiyaki made like this lady makes them!

I'm happy to notice there are two women working the grill, and on the wall I notice a sign for drinking party prices: One price for all-you-can-drink alcohol, and one price for free soft drink refills. According to their website, Komorebi also uses local products as much as possible. YES. Komorebi is this girl's kind of restaurant!

The menu looks pretty reasonable, except for the specialty: Tomato Okonomiyaki. We order a Cesar salad, a tomato okonomiyaki, and (lest we be actually healthy) a deluxe mix.

The salad is great. Fresh with lots of meaty bits and a big runny egg. It's half-gone before I remember to snap a photo.

When the okonomiyaki with the deluxe is brought to our table, it looks like pretty standard fair. . . but the first bite proves otherwise. The sauce is incredible. It's kind of citrusy and with a pureed texture, and it includes hints of locally caught and cured mackerel.

Thehead chef/owner explains that when she first left Yakushima as a young woman and tasted okonomiyaki in Kyoto she was blown away. For decades, she thought about opening her own restaurant, and for years she experimented to create that sauce. And yes, you can ask for extra sauce.

Have you ever seen an okonomiyaki like this?
Check out the detailing on those tomatoes!

The highlight, of course, is the tomato okonomi yaki, for which the chef brings out the torch and sears the pile of succulent tomatoes hiding the okonomiyaki underneath. Exquisite, and exquisitely delicious!

Location: Miyanoura 2560-27, on the road that goes to Shiratani Unsuikyo Park. (30.4145,130.567)
Hours: 11:30-13:30, and extra dinner hours on Fridays and Saturdays from 18:00-20:30. Closed on Mondays.*
Website: http://komorebi.lolipop.jp/

*Hours of business may change, so please check the website or call ahead.