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A cafe with a spectacular view that only those in the know will know about! A cafe that requires reservations to enjoy the exquisite afnun (Takeo City, Saga Prefecture)
Hello. I'm Yuri and I love stylish cafes and sweets.
This time we're heading to Takeo City, Saga Prefecture! We'll be introducing you to some noteworthy coffee shops that are worth the trip.
Relax while admiring the beautiful scenery! Arita ware studio "Iroe Kobo" (Takeo City, Saga Prefecture) with a reservation-only "tea room"
Iroe Kobo is an Arita ware color painting studio located at the foot of Mount Kurokami, one of the 100 famous mountains in Kyushu.
It is just under an hour and a half by car from central Fukuoka City. The nearest interchanges are the Takeo Kitakata Interchange on the Nagasaki Expressway, or the Imari Tofusho Interchange on the Nishi Kyushu Expressway.
Image: Yurichan
The food event, which was held once every two months for 10 days only, was so popular that in May 2023, a "cafe" will finally open in the workshop.
Image: Yurichan
The owner of the pottery paints the pottery, his wife cooks at the cafe, the eldest son designs the store and produces the entire cafe, and the eldest son's wife works as a staff member at the cafe, and the family works together to run the business, making the most of their respective areas of expertise.
The "Coffee Shop" operates on a reservation-only basis, based on the concept of "We want you to enjoy a relaxing and extraordinary time." There are three sessions: 10:00-12:00, 12:15-14:15, and 14:30-16:30. *The first session (from 10:00) is closed from December to February.
Reservations can be made via the website or by phone from 30 days prior to the desired date of use until 4:30 pm on the day before.
* Same-day reservations are only accepted if seats and meals are available. Please make sure to inquire by phone.
"We ask that you refrain from bringing preschool children to the store or be considerate of other customers," they said.
The first thing you'll see when you open the door is a wide variety of colorful tableware. Arita ware painted by Iroe Kobo is on display and for sale. There's a wide selection of tableware with designs that are easy to use on a daily basis! The vibrant colors are lovely.
Image: Yurichan
Just looking at it makes me excited.
Image: Yurichan
Arita ware was also found in the bathroom!
Image: Yurichan
The interior of the restaurant is filled with natural light, allowing you to enjoy the greenery outside.
Image: Yurichan
From the counter seats, you can enjoy the view of the surface of the pond and the trees behind the workshop.
Image: Yurichan
Fluffy blankets were also provided.
On a nice day, we definitely recommend the terrace seats!
Image: Yurichan
You will be overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery before your eyes.
Image: Yurichan
Exquisite food made with plenty of ingredients from Saga Prefecture
The menu consists only of an afternoon tea-style "Select your own Saga tea and sweets set."
Of course, all the tableware is from Iroe Kobo.
Image: Yurichan
The set includes a fermented butter croissant sandwich, an appetizer platter, a choice of dessert, Saga tea, and mixed nuts. The set includes a choice of three desserts for 2,700 yen, and a choice of six desserts for 3,300 yen.
The ingredients and contents of each menu item vary depending on the season and the day, but I'll introduce you to the set of six sweets that was on offer on the day I visited.
We started off with a colorful platter of appetizers. They were filling but also very healthy so no guilt.
Image: Yurichan
The menu was packed with healthy dishes made with plenty of fresh local vegetables, including carrot slaw, marinated cabbage, pastrami, peeled cherry tomatoes, pumpkin, steamed chicken, mashed potato croquettes, and curried beans.
This is a fermented butter croissant sandwich.
Image: Yurichan
The croissant was filled with a generous amount of roughly mashed egg salad. The bread dough was crispy and had a light, fluffy feel.
The sweets are from popular local shops, including the Japanese sweets shop "Kojimaya" from Imari City, Saga Prefecture, the confectionery shop "Imari Kasho Uchida" from Imari City, and the dessert course specialty shop "chiiji" from Takeo City. You can choose your favorites from the counter.
Image: Yurichan
All of the sweets are small in size and look cute.
Image: Yurichan
It's nice to be able to enjoy many different types of sweets at once.
This is "Kojimaya's Open Dorayaki with Anko and Butter." The bite-sized dorayaki is light and has a mild sweetness from the bean paste itself.
Image: Yurichan
Pictured from left are "Saga Prefecture Banana, Cocoa Mass and Walnut Cake" and "Shiraishi Carrot and Cinnamon Root Cake" from "chiiji."
Image: Yurichan
I chose the "Saga Prefecture Banana, Cocoa Mass and Walnut Cake." It was moist and the texture of the walnuts inside was a nice accent. It was very delicious.
The subtle aroma of roasted green tea in the "Ureshino Deep Roasted Roasted Green Tea Cheesecake" from "chiiji" is irresistible. The delicate and smooth texture is also exquisite!
Image: Yurichan
This is the "Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc" from "Imari Uchida." This is also a cute bite-sized piece.
Image: Yurichan
Apparently, "Mont Blanc made with Imari pears" and "Mont Blanc made with Imari lemons" are sometimes available.
The moment you put it in your mouth, the aroma of walnuts fills your mouth with the "Chocolate Brownie" from "Imari Kasho Uchida." I couldn't help but exclaim, "It's delicious!"
Image: Yurichan
The "Imari Naturally Grown Black Tea Roll Cake" from "Imari Kasho Uchida" is also a must-try. It is moist and soft, with a subtle black tea aroma that lingers after you.
Image: Yurichan
All of the sweets we had were impressive in their natural flavors that made the most of the ingredients.
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It's a nice touch that allows you to eat a wide variety of food in a delicious way.
By the way, from December 1st, 2023, for a limited time only during the winter, "Turnip Potage" will be included!
Image: Yurichan
Apparently this dish was well-received at previous food events, so we were happy to hear how delicious it was!
I was impressed that turnips were so sweet. Apparently they get even sweeter when there is frost. When I put them on bread, they were twice as delicious.
The end date has not yet been decided, so please check when making your reservation.
You can choose from 7 types of tea produced in Ureshino, Takeo, and Imari.
Saga is famous for its tea. In particular, the western areas of Takeo, Ureshino, and Imari are known for their fermented tea (black tea) and semi-fermented tea (oolong tea) production.
The "Saga Tea" set includes seven varieties to choose from, including Ureshino's tamaryokucha, black tea, and roasted green tea, Takeo's organic lemongrass black tea, and Imari's naturally grown tea.
Image: Yurichan
From the second cup onwards, you can add hot water from the hot water pot as you like.
Image: Yurichan
This time, my husband and I tried "Ureshino Tama Ryokucha" and "Ureshino Black Tea" from Ureshino.
"Ureshi no Tamaryokucha" is called Tamaryokucha (ball-shaped green tea) because of the unique rounded shape of the tea leaves, which is rare among Japanese teas.
It is characterized by its deep richness and flavor. It's fun to watch the flavor change with each cup! It was so delicious that I ended up having several refills.
Plus, the elegant aroma is irresistible ♡ Not only the taste, but the aroma alone was very relaxing.
Image: Yurichan
"Ureshi no Kocha" has little astringency and is easy to drink. We recommend drinking it straight without adding anything!
Japanese black tea is inevitably more expensive than imported products, but the taste is in a class of its own!
Their promotion of local ingredients is also wonderful.
Image: Yurichan
I enjoyed the magnificent view, the fresh air and the delicious food. I felt like I was freed from my busy daily life and had a relaxing time.
Why not take some time to reset and heal your tired mind and body? (Text by Yuri-chan)
＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■Iroe Koubou
Address: 1829-8 Miyano, Yamauchi-cho, Takeo City, Saga Prefecture
Business hours: [Workshop] 10:00-16:30 [Coffee shop (reservation required, 3 sessions, 2 hours each session)] 1st session 10:00-12:00 / 2nd session 12:15-14:15 / 3rd session 14:30-16:30
*Part of the event is closed from December to February.
Closed: [Workshop] Mondays [Coffee House] Mondays and Sundays *May be closed on other days
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the text include tax.
※Text and images:
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