Kono Cafe - A place where you can enjoy the B-class gourmet "Kinojo Castle Curry" from Soja and the owner's carefully roasted coffee.

Did you know there is a place near JR Soja Station where you can eat Soja's B-class gourmet "Kinojo Curry"?

"Kinojo Curry" is a chicken curry rich in iron, simmered in an iron pot.

The luxurious chicken curry, with its sweet and thick roux and generous chunks of ingredients, has a gentle flavor that appeals to everyone.

The carefully brewed house-roasted coffee served by the owner after the meal surprised me with how much the taste of the coffee changes depending on the brewing method!

Additionally, the café Kokon is secretly operated by the president of the Soja City Tourism Association.

I learned a lot about the owner's thoughts and motivations for opening Kokon, as well as the origin of Kinojo Curry.

I would like to introduce "Kokon," a café you should definitely visit for lunch or a coffee break around Soja Station.

Kokon is a place where you can enjoy B-class gourmet and house-roasted coffee in front of Soja Station

Kokon is located just a 30-second walk from JR Soja Station.

The café grand opened on March 14, 2019.

As mentioned at the beginning, it is secretly operated by the president of the Soja City Tourism Association.

The café was established in response to the voices of citizens expressing that "the area around Soja Station is lonely" while serving as the president of the tourism association.

While thinking about what he could do, he decided to open "Kokon" and "Acupuncture and Oxygen Box Itsutsunoki" together, as his son was an acupuncturist.

With "health" as one of the keywords, he is working on revitalizing the area in front of Soja Station while serving as the president of the Soja City Tourism Association.

Although the president of the Soja City Tourism Association does not often make his activities public, the story behind starting the café is truly wonderful.

Recommended menu at Kokon

The main menu at Kokon is as follows. Please note that the prices are as of October 2020.

Now, let me introduce the particularly recommended B-class gourmet, "Kinojo Curry" and "house-roasted coffee."

"Kinojo Curry" packed with ingredients and rich in iron

Kinojo Curry is a chicken curry made by simmering in an iron pot.

The reason for using an iron pot is that "the iron from the pot dissolves into the curry, allowing for iron absorption."

This is recommended for people with anemia who lack iron.

I was surprised to learn that you can absorb iron from the iron pot.

The reason for this focus on iron is that the ancient Kibi region has a significant relationship with iron.

The Kibi region prospered through a iron-making technique called "tatara."

The Yamato court became interested in tatara iron-making and sent Kibitsuhiko no Mikoto to seize the iron.

Kibitsuhiko no Mikoto is the same as Momotaro.

In the Momotaro legend, the demon Ura, who is said to have made iron, is actually not bad.

The Kibi region prospered through iron, and since Ura ruled the Kibi region at Kinojo, the curry was named Kinojo Curry.

Kinojo Curry is packed with ingredients, including plenty of vegetables and chicken.

The roux has a thick and sweet flavor.

The secret ingredient for the mild sweetness is tuna flakes.

Additionally, for those concerned about carbohydrates, there is a Kinojo Healthy Curry.

Instead of less rice, it is filled with plenty of shredded cabbage.

The mild sweet flavor of the roux in Kinojo Curry pairs perfectly with the shredded cabbage!

It was delicious, just as good as the rice, with the cabbage nicely coated.

Exquisite flavor of "house-roasted coffee" that takes time to prepare

After the meal, I highly recommend trying the house-roasted coffee made by the owner.

When you order straight coffee (Mocha, Guatemala, Kilimanjaro), the owner takes the time to roast the green beans and prepare the coffee.

This was my first time seeing the coffee beans being roasted.

As he shakes the roaster, I began to hear popping sounds like popcorn, and a wonderfully fragrant coffee aroma filled the air.

After cooling the roasted coffee beans a bit, the next step is to quickly grind the green beans with a grinder.

Then, when I tried the finished coffee, I was really surprised.

As soon as it enters my mouth, it has a deep coffee flavor, yet it has a refreshing taste with no aftertaste, making it easy to drink.

This was a coffee I definitely want those who dislike the bitterness of coffee to try.

Just like freshly cooked rice is delicious, coffee is best when it is freshly roasted and ground from green beans.

Coffee, in fact, cannot maintain its deliciousness unless it is made within 7 days after roasting, 3 days after grinding, and 30 minutes after brewing.

At Kissaten Konon, you can enjoy the true flavor of coffee.

If you don't mind taking some time, they can also adjust the roast level to light or dark according to the customer's request.

If it's freshly roasted and ground coffee, even those who are not fond of coffee will find it easy to drink, so please give it a try.

Interview with the owner of Kissaten Konon, Sano Makoto

We spoke with the owner of Kissaten Konon, Sano Makoto.

What are the commitments and features of Kissaten Konon?

Sano

We consider "health" as one of our keywords.

The B-class gourmet Kinojo Curry was initially called "Countryside Curry."

Chicken is relatively considered a healthy food, right?

In our time, each household raised chickens, so chicken has been familiar for a long time.

That's why we named it Countryside Curry, but when the idea of iron came to mind, we changed the name to Kinojo Curry.

The chicken curry made by simmering in an iron pot or with an iron egg is Kinojo Curry. This is the condition.

I hope Kinojo Curry spreads as a B-class gourmet of Soja.

Additionally, there are people who use the "Oxygen Box and Acupuncture Itsutsunoki" located next door.

About the "Oxygen Box and Acupuncture Itsutsunoki" adjacent to Kissaten Konon

Please tell us the features of the Oxygen Box and Acupuncture Itsutsunoki.

Sano

We have introduced the first oxygen box in Soja.

It is effective for fatigue recovery, lack of sleep, increased concentration, hangovers, and dieting, and you can try it for 60 minutes for 500 yen for the first three experiences.

So, there are people who experience the oxygen box while using Kissaten Konon.

You can experience it anytime during the business hours of Kissaten Konon, so feel free to come by.

Future Plans

Please tell us about the future vision of Kissaten Konon.

Sano

I want to make the area around JR Soja Station a lively town through Kissaten Konon.

I want to increase the number of people walking around a bit more.

In Soja, there is a service called "Walk Points" where points can be accumulated and exchanged for gift certificates.

If you live or work in Soja City, you can participate, so I hope that through such services, people will enjoy walking around the town and that the citizens will become healthier.

And I would be happy if Kissaten Konon could be used as a warm and comforting space.

Conclusion

Kissaten Konon, located just 30 seconds on foot from JR Soja Station, offers Soja's B-class gourmet and carefully roasted coffee.

It is a place that was created from the desire of the president of the Soja City Tourism Association to "revitalize Soja!" as the name suggests, it is a heartwarming place.

Moreover, not only the desire but also the fact that they are continuously studying coffee and improving the curry is truly admirable.

When you visit Soja, please enjoy Kinojo Curry and self-roasted coffee.

I would be happy if more people could get to know Kissaten Konon.

Data for Kissaten Konon

Name	Kissaten Konon
Address	1-2-1 Ekimae, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Contact	0866-94-2232
Parking	Available 2 parking spaces next to 'Bakery Tangu'
Business Hours	8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Regular Holidays	Tuesday Closed on the 4th Sunday
Payment Methods	Cash PayPay
Reservation Availability	Yes Flexible arrangements for private use and business hours. Consultation required.
Seating	13 seats total: 9 counter seats 4 table seats
Smoking	Completely non-smoking
Toilet	Western-style toilet
Website	Kono Sano

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