Interview with Midori Nakaso, staff member at Machiya Cafe Miyake Shoten
Located in the Bikan Historical Area, a popular tourist destination, Machiya Cafe Miyake Shoten is loved by both visitors and locals.
We spoke with staff member Midori Nakaso.
This interview was conducted during our initial visit in June 2021.
Tell us about your approach to the menu.
Nakaso (surname only)
Our focus is on creating menus that capture the seasons using seasonal ingredients.
We purchase seasonal fruits and other ingredients from contracted farmers, and try to use products from Okayama Prefecture and the Seto Inland Sea region whenever possible.
Some produce is out of specification and cannot be sold as-is, but rather than letting it go to waste, we buy it at a fair price and use it.
We also sell fruit in the shop as a little “share” for customers, rather than using it only in our cafe menu.
People from cities seem surprised, as they tend to think fresh fruit is expensive and only for gifts.
We use seasonal fruit in our cakes, too. When it’s not available, we make them with flavors that feel right for that time of year.
What surprises many people is that we make everything from scratch.
We make the cake sauces ourselves, and even the ice cream is homemade.
We cook the azuki beans ourselves, and the cookies are homemade, too—not store-bought.
We want people to appreciate the deliciousness of homemade food and the goodness of seasonal ingredients.
We want locals as well as visitors from outside the prefecture to enjoy our food.
You also put a lot of care into your curry, right?
Nakaso
We blend various spices and make our curry with tomatoes and fruit.
The fruit gives it a sweetness, so even young children can enjoy it.
It has a familiar, approachable flavor that anyone can enjoy, but we take care in choosing the ingredients.
Why did you decide to make retort-pack curry?
Nakaso
We spent about a year developing it because we wanted people to enjoy our popular curry at home, too.
It tastes the same as the curry we serve in the shop.
You can buy it at Miyake Shoten’s affiliated shops and online store.
Speaking of popular items, we also sell shaved-ice syrups, which some people buy as souvenirs.
White peach is especially popular.
The building itself is charming, too.
Nakaso
The building is a machiya townhouse built in the late Edo period.
We continue to use the shop name from when it was a household goods store before the war.
Of course, there are some new things in the building, but we have kept as much of the original as possible.
The previous owner may have renovated the earthen walls, but we made no changes when we opened Miyake Shoten.
Some parts are a little crooked and there are cracks in the ceiling, but we have kept renovations to a minimum.
Has the flow of people in the Bikan Historical Area changed since the shop opened?
Nakaso
I’m from Kurashiki, and when I was in high school, the street with places like the Ohara Museum of Art was the main bustling area. At the time, I think I saw the Bikan Historical Area as a tourist destination visited by tourists.
Since Miyake Shoten opened in 2004, more and more shops have opened on this street, too.
Hayashi Genjuro Shoten opened as well, and I think both tourist and local visitors have increased.
A larger proportion of people who visit Miyake Shoten are tourists.
They seem to be impressed by the unfamiliar old buildings dating back to the Edo period.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people came from other parts of Japan and from overseas.
Locals seem to come looking for a stylish, tucked-away place.
What are your hopes for the future?
Nakaso
The importance of a sustainable society has been widely discussed in recent years, but Miyake Shoten was working on sustainability even before it attracted attention.
We want to continue our sustainable initiatives.
Another thing is that we want people to have an experience they can only have here.
Summers have been getting hotter and hotter lately. We do have air conditioning, but we want people to feel the breeze and cool down with shaved ice—an experience that lets them feel the season.
We want to provide a place for experiences like that.
Until now, people may have visited because it was trendy or stylish.
But from now on, we want people to come seeking the kind of time and space they can experience only here.
We want to keep sharing what we do, too.
Visit Miyake Shoten, a cafe where you can experience history and seasonal flavors
Miyake Shoten serves curry and sweets made with seasonal ingredients in a building that evokes Kurashiki’s history.
Why not spend a relaxing time experiencing the unique pace of life at Miyake Shoten and its nostalgic, old-fashioned atmosphere?
After your meal, we also recommend taking a stroll around the Bikan Historical Area.
Machiya Cafe Miyake Shoten details
| Name | Machiya Cafe Miyake Shoten |
|---|---|
| Address | 3-11 Honmachi, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 086-426-4600 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Weekdays: 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last order at 5 p.m.) Saturdays: 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m. (last order at 7 p.m.) Sundays and holidays: 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last order at 5 p.m.) *Hours may change depending on the season |
| Closed | None |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Reservations are not accepted during busy periods (spring break, Golden Week, summer vacation, New Year’s, and winter break) |
| Seating | 1st floor: 9 tables 2nd floor: 4 tables (used when the 1st floor is full) |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restrooms | Western-style toilet |
| Families with children | Children’s chairs available |
| Website | Miyake Shoten |
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