It’s about an hour’s drive across the Aqua Line from the hustle and bustle of the city. Futtsu is dotted with hideaway cafes run quietly by owners who love the tranquility and bounty of the land, something you can never experience at chain restaurants along the main roads. We will guide you to special spaces that will melt your heart, found deep in the woods and in seaside villages, beyond narrow alleys where your navigation system might give up on guiding you.

A renovated space in a back alley with the scent of sea breeze and old wood

As you walk through the old port town of Futtsu, you’ll find an unassuming small signboard tucked between the blackboard walls. The cafe is located in a renovated building that was once a seaweed fisherman’s work hut and a fisherman’s house. Visitors are warmly welcomed by the high ceiling overlooking thick beams and antique wooden chairs. If you sit by the window, the background music will be the sound of waves echoing in the distance and the chirping of black kites. The time spent immersing yourself in a book with a cup of carefully brewed dark roasted coffee in one hand will make you forget about the hectic pace of everyday life.

Home-roasted and autumn baked goods nestled in the greenery of Satoyama

If you drive inland to the Satoyama areas of Takeoka and Sanuki, you will find woody cafes nestled on the banks of streams and on the slopes of Satoyama. Here, plate lunches made with vegetables grown in their own garden and tarts made with plenty of Japanese chestnuts and figs, a specialty of Futtsu, are a staple in autumn. As you look out at the changing colors of the mountains from inside the shop, where the aroma of beans from the roasting machine wafts through the air, you can experience the changing seasons with all five senses.

Etiquette for comfortably enjoying a hideaway cafe

Most of these privately run hideaway cafes have a limited number of seats for 4 to 5 groups. Please keep the following points in mind when visiting.

• Avoid groups of more than 3 people and enjoy quiet conversations in small groups.
• Do not park on the street or in the footpaths of residential areas; always use designated parking spaces.
• Refrain from taking unauthorized photographs or long-duration flash photography inside the restaurant, and only quietly record the food at hand.

On an afternoon when the soft autumn sunlight shines through, why not spend some luxurious free time at a quiet hideaway cafe in Futtsu?