Blue skies, islands floating on a calm sea, the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, and uniquely shaped rocks scattered here and there... This is the distinctive scenery seen at Ojigadake Hill, which straddles Kurashiki City and Tamano City.
Activities are also active, with people enjoying paragliding, bouldering, and hiking on holidays.
It is a place that refreshes the heart when you see scenery that cannot be found anywhere else.
At this majestic Ojigadake Hill, there is a facility owned by Kurashiki City, Ojigadake Rest House.
In recent years, the Kurashiki City Tourism Division has conducted a "Trial Sounding" at this facility.
They have been renting out the Ojigadake Rest House for trial openings and holding events irregularly.
In June 2023, a permanent café finally opened at the Ojigadake Rest House.
We covered the newly opened "⑤ Deli Ojigadake (Marugo Deli Ojigadake)."
About Marugo Deli
Marugo Deli, born in Okayama, is a shop that sells fresh juices and coffee.
Currently, it has 8 locations both inside and outside the prefecture.
The first store opened in 2000, located on Hare-machi Street (formerly Prefectural Office Street) in the center of Okayama.
Here, they adopt a takeout style where juices are handed over at the counter.
Once you enter the store, you might find yourself in your own world, but by taking it outside, the whole town becomes a café space.
They hope that you will enjoy drinking in parks filled with greenery and savor that space as well.
The menu includes classic options like "Banana," "Kiwi," and fresh squash.
They also offer juice made with sweet sake from Meitou Miso Honpo in Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture, and coffee made with beans from Kuumuus Coffee Roasters in Misaki-cho, Kume-gun, Okayama Prefecture.
You can enjoy freshly made drinks using local ingredients.
⑤ Deli Ojigadake Opens at Ojigadake
The 8th store of Marugo Deli, ⑤ Deli Ojigadake, opened on June 5, 2023, at Ojigadake, which is also in its name.
The Ojigadake Rest House, where the store is located, was built in 1967 and consists of a basement level, a ground level, and a rooftop.
Until 2011, a private business operated the restaurant on the ground floor as a designated manager of Kurashiki City.
After the restaurant closed, it came under the direct management of Kurashiki City and became a resting place for those enjoying touring and hiking.
Since 2020, experiential events and markets have been held as part of the "Trial Sounding" conducted by Kurashiki City.
⑤ Deli Ojigadake is located on the ground floor.
With full glass walls, you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the Seto Inland Sea from indoors.
On sunny days, be sure to head to the rooftop.
When you go up the stairs outside the building, there is...
A grand panorama spreads out before you.
On the day I visited, perhaps due to good wind conditions, I could see people enjoying paragliding.
By the way, "Ojigadake" is called "Oujigadake" and "Oujigatake" in different regions.
By the way, Kurashiki City seems to be in the "dake" camp.
Unique Ways to Enjoy ⑤ Deli Ojigadake
Among the Marugo Deli stores, ⑤ Deli Ojigadake has a slightly different character.
Along with its features, let me introduce unique ways to enjoy this store.
Drinks and Scones
The drinks can be broadly divided into two types: fresh juices and coffee.
I ordered the fresh tomato juice.
As of April 2024, tomato juice is not being offered.
Cutting and squeezing the fruit after ordering is a characteristic of Marugo Deli.
The sound of the juicer echoes in the store.
Nothing beats the freshness of a made-to-order drink.
On the day I visited, the juice of the day was tomato juice.
It was a cup that allows you to taste local ingredients, made with "Maruko Tomato" from Kojima and lemons from Toyoshima.
Dine in or take out is OK
The representative director of Marugo Deli, Hirano Yuji, said that he wanted to create a tomato juice that even someone who doesn't like tomatoes could drink.
When I tried that tomato juice, I was first surprised by its sweetness.
It has a natural sweetness, and rather than tasting like a tomato, it has a flavor and freshness reminiscent of fruit.
Since whole tomatoes are used, there were bits of skin here and there.
The secret to the fruit-like sweetness is that they are grown in the salt fields of Kojima, which increases their sugar content.
Scones, like drinks, are also available for dine-in or takeout.
They have a simple and gentle sweetness.
I recommend buying them to take home and rebaking them to enjoy at home.
Original Menu
The original menu of ⑤Deli Ojigadake is Fruit Sandwich.
As of April 2024, there were strawberry and mixed options, so I chose the mixed one.
The fruits inside change depending on the season.
It also included seasonal strawberries and citrus fruits like Setoka.
The generous amount of fresh cream had a refined sweetness to balance the fruit flavors.
The sandwich was surprisingly large, enough to take a big bite.
The mixed option contained two types of fruit, allowing for a delightful change in flavor.
Enjoying with a Scenic View
The unique way to enjoy ⑤Deli Ojigadake is to savor it with the view.
With glass walls, you can see outside from any seat.
The spacious interior has both table and counter seating.
Counter seats facing the sea are also recommended.
The natural beauty of the Seto Inland Sea spreads out before you, lifting your spirits.
If you want to feel the wind without a window, head to the rooftop.
A different breathtaking view awaits you there.
However, there are no tables, so it's best for drinks only.
Enjoy dining while taking in the magnificent nature at ⑤Deli Ojigadake.
I spoke with Yabuki Kenta from the Kurashiki City Tourism Division, who has been working hard to promote the Ojigadake Rest House, and Hirano Yuji, the representative director of Marugo Deli.
Data of ⑤Deli Ojigadake (Marugo Deli Ojigadake)
| Name | ⑤Deli Ojigadake (Marugo Deli Ojigadake) |
|---|---|
| Address | 1421-8 Kojima Karakoto-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, inside Ojigadake Rest House |
| Contact | 090-4105-8805 |
| Parking | Available There is parking nearby, with 3 spaces in front of the building for disabled persons |
| Regular Holidays | Fridays, irregular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Seating | Counter: 5 seats Table: 34 seats (10 tables) |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet, barrier-free toilet |
| Childcare | Diaper changing sheet |
| Barrier-free | Ramp, barrier-free toilet |
| Website | Marugo Deli |
