Operating only on weekends and closed on rainy days, a quaint new cafe quietly opened in April, tucked away in the Kaminoura area. 

Welcome to “Niwasaki Cafe!”

Look for the Hiragana “み” Sign in the Yard

Niwasaki Cafe is located just steps away from the “Beer Restaurant Ichi no Soko” on Kaminoura-dori, and opens at 8 AM on weekends.

The landmark to look for is the neon 「み」which is actually the sign for the bar “K.MIYAMOTO,” whose garden the cafe borrows on weekends.

Look for the charming wooden stall and flags!

The idea to start the cafe came from a light-hearted comment from Mr. Miyamoto, owner of “K.MIYAMOTO,” who suggested using the garden during the day.

Unbelievable Value and Generous Portions

The menu consists of coffee and sandwiches, including hot sandwiches and focaccia.

Coffee, both hot and iced, is 100 yen!

Can you believe it?

It’s only 100 yen!

The most expensive item, a sandwich, is priced at only 400 yen.

The most popular item is the Smoked Egg Sandwich (300 yen).

As the name suggests, it is not just an egg sandwich, the eggs are smoked!

Look at the amount of egg salad!

It’s delicious, well-seasoned, and incredibly filling!

The eggs are smoked in-house to create a unique filling. 

The ingredients are practically overflowing.

The Smoked Chicken and Lotus Root Sandwich is 400 yen, and looked like it would go perfectly with beer or whisky so I decided to grab one to-go.

Relax as if It Were Your Own Garden!

Paying customers are welcome to use the garden tables and benches freely.

The garden, blooming with cherry blossoms in spring and turning colorful in autumn, feels just like home and is a popular gathering spot for locals and regulars.

On this day, they were testing a new dessert, tiramisu, which they’re still perfecting, hoping to add it to the menu in the future.

They handed me a sample saying they weren’t sure if it was sweet enough.

They are also planning to make soup for the winter season. Exciting!

Pets Are Welcome! Take a Break from Walking!

Since it’s a garden, pets are welcome too!
Look at this little dog relaxing.

The owner also has a dog and wanted to create a space where pet owners could relax during walks.

Although the restaurant is located in the middle of Kumamoto’s downtown area, the garden is a serene oasis shaded by trees.

The owner, a fascinating individual with a background in the restaurant business, has lived in France and holds various titles, including sommelier.

Enjoying a chat with him and dining al-fresco on a sunny day makes a perfect weekend afternoon!