Yuragi is a cafe located in Taketoyo Town, Aichi Prefecture, about an 8-minute walk from Meitetsu Kowa Line's Age Station. The building, furniture, and cafe menu are all organic shops that stick to natural things.

Fluctuation entrance. The sliding doors that are typical of Japanese houses are tasteful.

When you enter the entrance, an open cafe space spreads out

Surrounded by greenery, a pleasant breeze blows through the store, making it a very comfortable space. How about enjoying lunch or coffee while being surrounded by the rustling leaves of the trees and the voice of the cicadas?

An organic building transformed into a cafe
"Yuragi" will open in March 2020!

Inside Yuragi. There are table and counter seats in the living part of the building.

This time, we interviewed Mr. Kenji Uenohara, the master of Yuragi, about how the shop opened and what he is particular about about coffee and food.

Mr. Uenohara carefully brewing coffee in the kitchen

– How did the cafe “Yuragi” open?

Mr. Uenohara: “Since I was a student, I have loved coffee shops and often visited unique shops. I thought it would be fun to live in a space surrounded by the things I like, so I wanted to run a coffee shop myself someday.

After graduating from college, however, I got a job at a local credit union and worked there for about nine years. During that time, I secretly helped out at a coffee shop owned by an acquaintance and thought about learning how to make sweets for the store. On my days off, I often went out to places rich in nature, and in the future I wanted to live near nature.

At that time, I met the owner of this building through my work. While I was hearing about how this house was built without additives and chemicals, and helping him in his fields, "Kaze no Mura" opened, selling organic vegetables and foods directly. And when the owner asked me for advice on how to create a place to serve these vegetables, that's when I decided to open this café."

– Mr. Uenohara's dream and the owner's hope matched!

Mr. Uenohara: "Yes. It took a lot of courage to make the decision, but I thought it would be nice if people who weren't usually aware of organic foods could eat deliciously, so I decided to take on the challenge. After about a year of preparation and construction, we opened in March 2020."

– Did you always like organic vegetables and foods?

Ms. Uenohara: "Actually, that's not true (laughs). When I lived alone and cooked for myself, I liked to buy seasonal vegetables, but I always bought vegetables at the supermarket without really thinking about it. But when I got to know the owner and started eating organic vegetables, I realized that they were different from commercially grown vegetables. For example, I thought komatsuna was a vegetable that would shrivel up in a few days, but with organic vegetables, the leaves stayed healthy for about a week, and it made me more aware of whether using pesticides and chemical fertilizers is good for vegetables."

The interior of the store is well-balanced with a sense of unity
A nostalgic atmosphere close to nature

Next to the living room is a room with floor seats. There is a porch and it is connected to the outside space.

– What points did you focus on when creating the store?

Mr. Uenohara: "This house was originally built with an emphasis on living with nature and making the most of it. We chose furniture and tableware that would fit in with that atmosphere. We avoided using plywood or glue as materials, and chose glass and ceramic tableware instead of plastic. We are conscious of creating a sense of unity throughout the building."

Solid wood shelves, kitchen tops, and glass/ceramic tableware go well together.

– The entire space is made of wood, giving it a gentle impression.

Mr. Uenohara: “Yes. I also put things that I like and that fit the space. Antiques, old tools, miscellaneous goods, and picture books that have a sense of life.”

One of them is the retro shaved ice machine that stands out in front of the kitchen.

Books such as picture books and paperbacks collected by Mr. Uenohara are lined up on the bookshelf next to the entrance.

– Did you like picture books when you were a child?

Ms. Uenohara: "No, if anything, I fell deeply in love with it when I became an adult. I read about a picture book in some magazine, and that was the first time I read it. I am sure that the story would not have resonated with me even if I had read it as a child. Picture books give me something to look forward to when I am struggling in life, or when I am at a loss. They don't have many words, and I like to spend time looking at them. The picture books in the store are available for both adults and children to read freely. I would be happy if you could pick one up when you visit our store."

The store can be seen from the garden. No matter where you see it, the scenery becomes a picture.

– The interior of the store has a high ceiling and is spacious, giving it a sense of openness.

Mr. Uenohara: "Yes. I want to create an environment that is as close to nature as possible, so I open all the windows. There is a wooden horse on the porch, and small children often play happily. There is no air conditioning in the store, so I was worried about the heat in the summer, but it is well ventilated and comfortable. The loquat tree outside the counter grows and creates just the right amount of shade.

A wooden horse on the porch

The loquat tree outside the counter seats is a green curtain.

Mr. Uenohara: “You can enjoy different ways of enjoying each season, such as listening to the cicadas and wind chimes in the summer, the colors of the surrounding trees in the autumn, and heating the stove with firewood in the winter.”

The clear sound of wind chimes will soothe you.

seasonal organic vegetables
Popular lunch menu

Caponata somen and pesticide-free rice ball lunch 1,500 yen

– What is the lunch menu for noon?

Mr. Uenohara: “Basically, there are two kinds of lunches: organic curry lunches and rice ball lunches made without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The rice ball lunches come with side dishes that make use of seasonal organic vegetables.

The small dish on the day we visited was marinated red onion, sautéed potatoes and green beans, and mini tomato and okra.

Caponata is an Italian dish made from stewed vegetables. Tomatoes and paprika are used like ratatouille, and it's refreshing and goes perfectly with somen noodles! Pesticide-free and chemical fertilizer-free rice balls have a slightly salty flavor that goes well with rice, making it easy to eat. Each of the seasonal vegetables used in the small bowl dishes had a strong taste, and the deliciousness of the vegetables seemed to be condensed. Soy meat karaage has a strong flavor and can be eaten lightly.

Organic curry and somen lunch 1,500 yen

– It is nice to be able to enjoy seasonal vegetables when they are in season!

Mr. Uenohara: I try to use locally grown seasonal vegetables. All of the vegetables, rice, and other ingredients used in cooking are organic, and the menu is designed to bring out the best flavors of seasonal vegetables, so some customers look forward to the small bowls. ”

Roasted green tea terrine 660yen

– Do you use only organic ingredients for your sweets?

Ms. Uenohara: "Yes. We use only organic ingredients for both our food and sweets. Especially for sweets, organic dairy products are rare, so I do not use milk or cream, and I also substitute cocoa butter for butter. However, since they are made based on general recipes, it takes some trial and error to adjust the arrangements and flavors. There are some products that are not certified organic or have no organic standards, so although they are natural, they are often not sold with that description, so I sometimes have to contact the manufacturer to confirm."

– You are very particular about each one! What points are you particularly conscious of when cooking and making sweets?

Ms. Uenohara: “I want as many people as possible to eat organic ingredients. Many people tend to think that food and sweets made with organic ingredients have a gentle taste and are rather bland.

Commitment to coffee

Ethiopian perete gera forest coffee 550 yen

– What do you pay attention to in the coffee you serve at your shop?

Mr. Uenohara: “We adjust the brewing time and brewing time according to the type of coffee so that the original taste of the beans can be understood.

– How about the production area of beans?

Mr. Uenohara: “Rather than the origin of the beans, I place importance on the environment in which the coffee is grown. Even if the same beans are grown in Ethiopia, the taste will be completely different depending on the farm. In particular, this (pointing to the coffee in the photo) uses beans from trees that grow naturally in the forest, so it feels like you are living with the local people.

– You also choose an environment that is closer to nature for the coffee trees to grow.

Mr. Uenohara: “Yes. By the way, our coffee straws are also made from pesticide-free plant stems, so they are 100% natural.”

– Even the straws are made by natural ingredient! What a surprise!

Organic cafe "Yuragi" connects with nature
comfortable healing space

“Yuragi” is located within an hour from downtown Nagoya and is surrounded by rich nature. It is a healing spot where you can become one with the lively nature.

Why don't you spend a relaxing time in a warm space with lunch using seasonal organic vegetables and sweets made with carefully selected ingredients?
Also, on weekends, it may be open as a “night cafe” style. The atmosphere of the shop changes completely, and it is also recommended to enjoy alcohol bevarage and dinner in the mysterious nature. You can check the business calendar on Instagram or Google Maps.

On the same site, there is also the Kaze no Mori Antenna Shop Kaze no Mura, which sells pesticide-free vegetables and organic foods from the Chita Peninsula, so be sure to stop by.

Kaze no Mori antenna shop "Kaze no Mura" exterior

Pesticide-free and chemical fertilizer-free vegetables and organic foods are lined up.

Enjoy nature's bounty!