Located in the southwestern part of Okayama Prefecture, Satosho Town in Asakuchi District is a small town, but it's a hidden gem for foodies, dotted with unique shops.
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Okayama Prefecture is located in the Center of Western Japan and is known as the "Land of Sunshine" due to its warm climate and little rain throughout the year. It's conveniently located halfway between famous tourist destinations like Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima! It's also the gateway to Shikoku via the Seto. Okayama is also known as the "Fruit Okayama," and the fruits that are sun-drenched in the warm climate of the Setouchi are of the highest quality in terms of sweetness, aroma, and flavor. You can enjoy seasonal fruits such as white peaches, Muscat grapes, and Pione grapes! Okayama is also home to world-class tourist spots, including Okayama Castle, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, and Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which boasts history, culture, and art!
This time, we'll introduce two restaurants with a "Japanese" theme. "Kominka Bunko Motoda" offers set lunches using seasonal local ingredients, and "Kasho Masamitsu Satosho" offers lunches featuring mochi in a variety of flavors. Both restaurants also have a wide selection of sweets and are great Japanese gourmet spots where you can relax and unwind.
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Table of Contents
- ① Old House Cafe "Bunko Motoda": Enjoy seasonal set lunches in a 160-year-old traditional Japanese house.
- Lunch by reservation only: A nutritious set meal featuring seasonal ingredients.
- We'll finish with a seasonal tart dessert.
- You can also shop at the gallery in the earthen floor area.
- ② "Kasho Masamitsu Satosho Branch ": A lunch experience featuring mochi (rice cakes) from a specialty Japanese confectionery shop.
- A variety of daifuku displayed in the showcase
- A lunch unique to a mochi specialty shop: The "Mochi Extravaganza Set Meal" offers five different flavor variations for a fun dining experience.
- Enjoy a casual snack time with our assorted dango (rice dumplings).
- Perfect for summer! Cold desserts with your choice of toppings.
① Old House Cafe "Bunko Motoda": Enjoy seasonal set lunches in a 160-year-old traditional Japanese house.
Located right next to the Satosho Post Office, "Kominka Bunko Motoda" is a cafe housed in a renovated traditional Japanese house that is over 160 years old. Created as a place where locals can easily gather, the cafe boasts a charming space that preserves traditional Japanese architectural styles. Their in-house roasted coffee and homemade cakes are also popular.
Relax while gazing at the lush Japanese garden.
From inside the shop, you can enjoy a view of the well-maintained garden, allowing you to relax in a tranquil atmosphere. When I visited in May, the carp streamers (traditional Japanese carp-shaped decorations displayed on Tango no Sekku (May 5th) to pray for the healthy growth of children) were fluttering pleasantly in the breeze. It was a scene that conveyed the owner's appreciation for the changing seasons.
A traditional Japanese scene with a Irori (traditional sunken hearth) and bookshelves.
The spacious interior features an Irori (traditional sunken hearth)(traditional Japanese hearth), which is actually lit in winter. The "Bunko" in the shop's name, "Bunko Motoda," comes from the bookshelves inside the shop.
The shelves are lined with nostalgic books from the Showa era (1926-1989), which visitors can freely pick up and read. The space was designed with the intention of providing a modern environment where children can interact with traditional Irori (traditional sunken hearth) and old books, creating a place where they can feel closer to Japanese culture and history.
Lunch by reservation only: A nutritious set meal featuring seasonal ingredients.
Lunch requires advance telephone reservations (limited to 20 servings per day). It's served in a set meal style, with a main dish of meat or fish, brown rice, miso soup, pickles, and three small side dishes. Each of the side dishes, made with carefully prepared fresh seasonal vegetables, is surprisingly delicious, and the reasonable price of 800 yen (tax included), including a drink, is also a major draw.
We'll finish with a seasonal tart dessert.
A lunch set with dessert costs 1,000 yen (tax included). On my visit, I had a kumquat tart made with kumquats harvested from the garden. The perfect balance of sweetness and fragrant sesame flavor was exquisite, subtly enhancing the lingering taste of lunch. You can see the kumquat trees from your seat, and being able to see the origin of the ingredients while you eat is a unique experience only available at this restaurant.
You can also shop at the gallery in the earthen floor area.
At the entrance, in the earthen floor area (a space inside the house where you can enter with your shoes on, a feature found in traditional Japanese houses), there is a gallery exhibition by various artists, displaying bags, accessories, and Japanese-style items. It's recommended to take your time browsing after your meal.
[Kominka Bunko Motoda ]
Location: 1370-2 Shinjo , Asakuchi-cho, Satosho Town, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 080-4430-2151
Business days: Wednesday to Saturday
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Lunch is served from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM, limited to 20 servings, reservations required)
Parking: Available
② "Kasho Masamitsu Satosho Branch ": A lunch experience featuring mochi (rice cakes) from a specialty Japanese confectionery shop.
Kasho Masamitsu , a confectionery manufacturer and retailer in Okayama Prefecture, has relocated from Kasaoka City to Satosho Town and reopened with an eat-in cafe. Their wide variety of daifuku (Japanese sweets made with mochi dough filled with sweet bean paste), including their popular strawberry daifuku, is a hit with people of all ages, from children to adults.
A bright and comfortable eat-in space
The shop has a bright and spacious interior with both table and counter seating. You can enjoy lunch and sweets made with mochi (rice cakes) right there.
A variety of daifuku displayed in the showcase
The display case is filled with a wide variety of daifuku (rice cakes filled with sweet bean paste), offering the joy of choosing your favorite flavor. They're all reasonably priced, so you might find yourself buying more than you intended!
A lunch unique to a mochi specialty shop: The "Mochi Extravaganza Set Meal" offers five different flavor variations for a fun dining experience.
The "Mochi Feast Set Meal" (1,000 yen including tax), unique to this specialty shop, comes with four types of mochi. Two types, red bean paste and kinako (roasted soybean flour), are fixed, while you can choose the toppings for the remaining two. This time, we chose "mentaiko mayonnaise mochi" and "sugar soy sauce sauce mochi." There is also mochi in the soup, so you can enjoy a total of five pieces of mochi in various flavors. For dessert, there is warabi mochi (a jelly-like Japanese sweet made from the starch of bracken root), making it a very filling meal. You can also order extra mochi ("Kaemochi" including tax: 50 yen without toppings, 100 yen with toppings).
Enjoy a casual snack time with our assorted dango (rice dumplings).
The "Dango Assortment" (450 yen including tax) allows you to enjoy a variety of dango with different toppings. It's perfect as a snack, but it's also quite filling.
Perfect for summer! Cold desserts with your choice of toppings.
Soft serve ice cream is also recommended during the hot season. You can freely choose 3 toppings from mini warabi mochi, mini nama dango, anko (sweet red bean paste), kinako (roasted soybean flour), kuromitsu (a rich black syrup made from sugar), and imo kenpi (sweet potato sticks) to create your own original dessert.
[Kasho Masamitsu Kasho Masamitsu Satosho Store]
Location: 9371-6 Satomi, Sato-cho, Asakuchi Satosho Town, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 090-1842-2183
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM *Sundays only until 5:00 PM (Cafe 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Lunch 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
Parking: Available
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