Hiji, Oita, Japan
This cafe is located up in the mountains of Hiji in Oita prefecture. It’s easiest to get to by car but if you have time and are willing to walk uphill it’s around a 30 minute walk from the station.
Being up in the mountains, it has a gorgeous view of Beppu Bay you can take in while you enjoy your food. This Cafe does lunch, dessert, drinks and baking. There are also plenty of vegan options. At my time there I even tried an all Vegan veggie based lunch. It looked and tasted amazing and the staff explained all elements on the plate. Even where some ingredients were sourced, with produce from Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures.
Their menu changes so you’ll have to visit a few times if you want to try all kinds of food and cake.
The design of this cafe incorporates nature very nicely using lots of natural wood, lighting and stone. Many things are made from bamboo as well, such as chopsticks, straws and light fixtures. They have seating available inside as well as outside.
This cafe also has exhibitions, galleries and events you can see advertised on their website or instagram. It’s a great way that they try to showcase different things from local artisans and products. The staff was super friendly and helpful explaining about the menu and future events.
They are open from Thursday to Sunday from 11:30 to 17:00.
https://www.instagram.com/kamenos_hiji/?hl=en
Not Just Coffee 