Do you know the “Take-no-ko Chaya” located in Makibi Park in Mabi, Kurashiki City, which was affected by the heavy rain disaster in July 2018?
It is a place where local specialties and fresh vegetables are sold, and you can also enjoy light meals and coffee, but it seems that it was not well known even among the locals.
I would like to introduce the rest area, Take-no-ko Chaya, which has seen an increase in visitors since the disaster.
What is Makibi Park and Take-no-ko Chaya
Take-no-ko Chaya was started in 1989 and opened around the following year.
In the past, the area around Kibi-ji Temple, the family temple of the Kibi clan that produced Kibi no Makibi, and Hatta Shrine located to the south was surrounded by rice fields and farms.
Hatta Shrine is named after the fact that the village of Yata was previously called Hatta Village.
The rice fields and farms were developed to create Makibi Park, the Makibi Memorial Hall, and this Take-no-ko Chaya.
It is designed as a Chinese-style building with a common concept of a roof that curves up at the edges, matching the Chinese-style garden of Makibi Park.
At Take-no-ko Chaya, local elderly residents sell handmade vegetables and bamboo shoots as part of a program to enhance the quality of life for the elderly in Mabi.
It opened as a rest area where you can also enjoy meals and coffee.
Take-no-ko Chaya Menu
The main menu is as follows.
| Menu | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Warm Udon / Zaru Udon | 550 yen |
| Warm Soba / Zaru Soba | 550 yen |
| Lunch Set ※ Udon or Soba + Side dish using seasonal vegetables and brown rice | 800 yen |
| Menu | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Coffee (Hot/Iced) | 400 yen |
| Tea (Hot/Iced) | 400 yen |
| Melon Soda | 400 yen |
| Zenzai (with Mochi) | 450 yen |
| Coffee Jelly | 400 yen |
| Float | 500-600 yen |
| Soft Serve Ice Cream | 350 yen |
| Seasonal Mini Parfait | 400 yen |
Drinks are available for takeout, so you can enjoy them while sitting on a bench in the park.
On the day of the interview, I ordered the lunch set (800 yen).
It is an attractive set using locally grown vegetables.
- Udon or Soba
- Brown Rice (at the time of the interview, it was a blend of black rice and regular rice)
- Side dish using seasonal vegetables (at the time of the interview, it was asparagus salad, namasu, and simmered Shogo-in turnip)
The menu is well-balanced in color and nutrition.
The side dishes change daily, and on the day of the interview, they were asparagus salad, namasu, and simmered Shogo-in turnip.
The lunch set allows you to choose between udon or soba, so it is recommended when you are hungry.
I also had the seasonal mini parfait (400 yen).
At the time of the interview, it was a chestnut parfait available only in autumn, consisting of cornflakes, chestnut soft serve, and chestnut cream.
It might be nice to relax and enjoy sweets while looking at Makibi Park.
Vegetables and Mabi's Specialties
In addition to meals, Mabi's specialties are also sold.
Take-no-ko Chaya provides Mabi's specialties and meals, and has now become a gathering place for residents.
In the latter part of the article, I will introduce Take-no-ko Chaya immediately after the heavy rain disaster in July 2018.
Takenoko Chaya Data
| Name | Takenoko Chaya |
|---|---|
| Address | 3652-1 Ayata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-698-1514 |
| Parking | Available General: 16 cars Disabled: 2 cars Bus: 2 buses |
| Business Hours | Business hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Cafe: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Meals: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Monday If Monday is a holiday, open and close the following day |
| Payment Method |
|
| Reservation | Available |
| Seats | 16 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed in designated area only) |
| Toilet | Barrier-free toilet, public toilet |
| Barrier-free | Ramp |
| Website | Takenoko Chaya |
