Smiley is the name of a cafe in a Kominka in the Isanuma area of Kawagoe. The cafe is located in a Kominka: a traditional type of farmhouse, quintessential of rural Japan before the war. it is a ‘time share’ eatery – in the morning, until 2 pm, the kominkaRead More →
Cafe Chocotto is a very special place to me. I found it in on a cycle in the Kawagoe Satoyama Initiative area of Fukuda. I hit it off with the owner, one of the loveliest people you could meet. And so started a new relationship. The only reason I haveRead More →
The Turkey Bazaar is a Turkish (mosaic) lamp shop in Kawagoe. It is located up a quaint alleyway off Ichibangai, the main tourist thoroughfare of “Little Edo” as Kawagoe is called. The shop has been there quite a few years, but in 2021 they opened a cafe across the pathRead More →
A new wind chime cafe opened in Kawagoe on June 1st and don’t you know, I went to check it out! This is the first chance I’ve had to introduce it on the blog. As I am going on holidays soon, I needed to get event posts out first. ButRead More →
A pop up bonsai cafe in Omiya, Saitama City, near Tokyo. Omiya Kadomachi celebrated their one year anniversary last week. In the past year, they have held some memorable events, not least of all their “Tonttu Christmas“. Now they are taking it up a notch, with a bonsai x foodRead More →
Cafe Brews Magnolia: A dog friendly, Instagrammable, inorganic cafe, opened in Kawagoe City in May 2023. One month ago today, Cafe Brews Magnolia (hereafter Cafe Magnolia) opened in Kawagoe City. In just one month it has garnered quite a following on Instagram and is all over Tiktok! No doubt, theRead More →
When you think of Saitama’s famous shaved ice cafes, where comes to mind? For me, Azami Reizo, Kore ga kakigori, Craft Cafe and Yamadaya are the first that come to mind. We’ve been to three out of four and so far, and for us personally, Yamadaya is our top pick.Read More →
Benibana means safflower: it is the flower of Okegawa where this Furusato Kan is located. A Furusato Kan is a type of folk museum and you can find a furusato kan in hundreds of towns around Japan. Although Okegawa is a city, it is quite rural. This Furusato kan isRead More →
Kaigara Cafe in Johnson Town, aka Little America, is an instagrammable cafe all year round, but particularly when they put up their mini umbrella sky for rainy season. According to the official Instagram account the cafe was modeled on a sea theme. Thus the cafe is decorated in shades ofRead More →
Recently a friend asked me did I know where you can buy the giant cotton candy (candy floss) you sometimes see people walking around Kawagoe with. Although, I am not a foodie, I am into anything photogenic, so I actually not only know the shop, I have been. And theRead More →