{"id":1540,"date":"2025-02-10T17:11:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T08:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/?p=1540"},"modified":"2025-02-10T17:11:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T08:11:55","slug":"stunning-views-at-takenokuma-cafe-a-haven-nestled-in-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/archives\/stunning-views-at-takenokuma-cafe-a-haven-nestled-in-nature.html","title":{"rendered":"Stunning Views at Takenokuma Cafe: A Haven Nestled in Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi, there! Summer is over, and <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>it’s been getting chillier<\/span>.<\/span> Do you ever feel like that the changing of seasons takes a toll on your energy levels?<\/span><\/p>\n

I was feeling a bit drained, so I decided to take a little trip to Minamio<\/span>guni Town in Aso District for some peace and quiet<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTakenokuma Kissa\u201d in Minami-Oguni Town, Aso \u00a0District<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This time, I visited \u201cTakenokuma Cafe\u3000\u00a0located in Minamioguni Town, Aso District.<\/span>The term “Takenokuma” comes from a local placename.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The moment you enter, the breathtaking views greet you. The cafe building was made to order by local carpenters using Oguni cedar. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A Japanese-style garden contributes to a soothing ambiance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Elements of the design were inspired by the architecture of Japanese Shinto shrines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Upon arrival, start by placing your order at the counter located at the end of the passageway. After that, you can take your order to your seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are two seating areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of them is <\/span>in the same building where the reception desk is. It features spacious windows offering expansive views of the rice fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Truly invigorating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The other one is the room with a wooden floor, located on the opposite side of the first one. You are free to sit wherever you like.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0A Feast of Local Delights from Oguni and Kumamoto<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is the menu. For 2,400 yen, there is a meal set that includes “okowa” (seasoned sticky rice) paired with a sweet dessert, and a beverage.<\/span> Okowa is a Japanese steamed rice dish made with glutinous rice mixed with meat or vegetables.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You can savor three different types of<\/span>\u00a0okowa.<\/span>The ingredients vary with the seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This time, our okowa was made with<\/span>\u00a0ingredients like<\/span> dried <\/span>tomatoes, fried pork with miso and fried onions, green beans and<\/span> jako <\/span><\/i>(young sardines), <\/span>kiriboshi-daikon<\/span><\/i> (dried radish<\/span>), and <\/span>Nankan-age<\/span><\/i> (a wWell-known type of deep-fried tofu from<\/span>\u00a0Kumamoto).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The small, bite-sized okowa is packed with hearty ingredients, satisfying hunger with its sticky, chewy texture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The soy milk panna cotta provides a smooth, subtly rich dessert, topped with fresh fruit and gel\u00e9e for a refreshing finish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>The matcha milk, chosen for its mild sweetness and strong matcha flavor, complements the meal perfectly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The restaurant’s menu features ingredients sourced from Aso, particularly from Minami-Oguni. The glutinous rice for the okowa comes from the rice fields right in front of the restaurant and from Aso. For the desserts, they use soy milk from a local tofu shop, and for the beverages, they use spring water sourced from Minami-Oguni.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The food tastes even better when you have the beautiful natural landscape in front of you.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Place where You can Truly Get in Touch with the Natural World<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Curious to learn mores<\/span>, I decided to ask the owner, Mr. Anai, about what inspired him to create such a unique cafe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr. Anai moved to Tokyo and held various jobs before making his way back to his hometown, Minami-Oguni. He established \u201cKissa Take no Kuma\u201d, driven by a desire to showcase the beauty of his hometown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>With a family background in the forestry business, he played a hands-on role in constructing the caf\u00e9.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The design of the restaurant harmonizes with nature, allowing customers to enjoy the ever-changing scenery throughout the seasons, complemented by meals prepared with local ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the absence of any electric lighting<\/span> in the caf\u00e9 is another particular feature.<\/span> This caf\u00e9 is brightened by light bouncing off the water’s surface and onto the ceiling. Being a farmer himself, he has infused his store with the same lifestyle he embraces as a farmer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Anai is not only behind the \u201cKissa Take no Kuma\u201d caf\u00e9 but also runs a furniture brand that utilizes Oguni cedar. He is actively involved in “mokuiku” programs, educational activities about wood and forestry at local schools.<\/span><\/p>\n

For his contributions, Mr. Anai was awarded the grand prize of the Kyushu Machizukuri Kanko Award 2024 by JR Kyushu, recognizing individuals and organizations that enrich the community and enhance the charm of towns in Kyushu.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The stunning countryside views, the architecture crafted from Oguni cedar, and delicious food and drinks made from local ingredients… “Takenokuma Caf\u00e9\u201d offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Minami-Oguni.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It’s a place to pause and immerse oneself in the natural beauty and tranquility of the area, providing a perfect escape for those looking to unwind from the hustle of daily life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I wholeheartedly recommend coming here when you’re feeling stressed and in need of some relaxation.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi, there! Summer is over, and \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0it’s been getting chillier. Do you ever feel like that the changing of seasons … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gourmet","category-sightseeing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1540"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1561,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540\/revisions\/1561"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}