Sakazu Park, a famous cherry-blossom viewing spot in Kurashiki City, rich in greenery and water, is a place of relaxation for Kurashiki residents.
Have you heard of the old-house cafe tucked into a corner of Sakazu Park, beloved by people of all ages as a place for children to play and for walks?
It blends into the surrounding nature, yet its appearance piques your curiosity: “What is that?”
We visited “Waterside Cafe Miyake Shoten Sakazu,” located where the water of the Takahashi River flows gently around a bend and on toward the city.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in May 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A building in harmony with Sakazu’s nature
As its name suggests, “Waterside Cafe Miyake Shoten Sakazu” is located by the water.
The water of the Takahashi River passes through Sakazu Park, flows gently past the cafe, and continues toward the city.
There is a mountain behind the cafe, and trees, including cherry trees, line the area in front.
Listen closely and you can hear birds singing. The natural background music is soothing.
Cross the bridge from the Sakazu Park promenade to reach Miyake Shoten.
▼ The cafe that opened in 2010 is in the right foreground of the photo, and the pizza hut, newly built in March 2021, is behind it.
There is a spacious garden in front of the cafe and pizza hut.
The garden was also renovated when the pizza hut was built. It is larger than before.
Seats are set up in various spots around the garden.
It’s lovely that you can eat outside while enjoying the nature of Sakazu.
Inside, filled with local pride down to the smallest details
First, let’s head into the old-house cafe at the front.
Just inside the entrance on the right is a masking tape corner.
Did you know that masking tape, especially popular with women, originated in Kurashiki?
You can feel Miyake Shoten’s understated love for Kurashiki.
Jars of jam line the shelves next to the masking tape corner.
These jams, with their beautiful gradations, are actually made in Kurashiki!
They are made at Miyake Shoten’s jam workshop.
Let’s start with the counter seats on the first floor.
At the counter seats on the river side, you sit facing the window.
The trees of Sakazu fill the window, and below, the river flows gently.
I think these seats offer the strongest sense of being surrounded by nature.
There is also a tatami room on the first floor, in addition to the counter seats.
A large dantsu (Persian-style carpet) spread over the tatami catches your eye.
The cushions are covered with Kurashiki Knotting textiles.
Both are Kurashiki folk crafts, and you can feel the love for Kurashiki here, too.
A breeze blows through the open windows.
The day I visited was hot, with an early-summer feel, but the river cooled the breeze, making it refreshingly cool.
The fresh green leaves are soothing to the eyes.
Now, let’s go up to the second floor.
The seats just at the top of the stairs are sofa seats.
The sofa and table are made by TEORI, another discovery that reflects Kurashiki pride!
TEORI is a company in Mabi, Kurashiki City, that makes furniture and other products from bamboo grown in Mabi.
There are also seats with cushions.
Choose whichever you prefer, garden side or river side.
Local pride packed into the food, too
When you think of Miyake Shoten, its signature dish is curry.
It’s generously packed with seasonal local ingredients.
The curry comes with lightly pickled vegetables and soup.
The roux is made with a blend of spices, but it isn’t spicy—it’s sweet!
Apparently, the sweetness comes from onions and fruit.
It’s a flavor loved by children and adults alike.
New Pizza Menu Arrives
A pizza hut has opened next to the traditional house cafe, so let us introduce it too.
The first thing that catches your eye is a vivid blue work of art… or so you might think, but it’s a pizza oven!
It’s a pizza oven that gets you excited about what kinds of pizza they serve.
If you’d like pizza, please order and pay at the pizza hut.
You can eat outside or inside the traditional house cafe.
Takeout is also available.
At Miyake Shoten, they make their pizza dough using homemade yeast.
Now, which pizza should I try first at Miyake Shoten?
| Pizza Menu (as of April 2023) | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| ・Margherita | ¥1,210 |
| ・Tsurajima lotus root and edamame with basil sauce | ¥1,320 |
| ・Quattro Formaggi served with homemade jam | ¥1,430 |
| ・White sauce with red sea bream from the Seto Inland Sea (Ogura Shoten) | ¥1,430 |
| ・Wild boar hunted by Mr. Nagao of Tessei-cho, Niimi City | ¥1,540 |
The Margherita is apparently the most popular, but I went with the manager’s recommendation, “Tsurajima lotus root and edamame with basil sauce.”
This is my first time eating a pizza with lotus root as the main ingredient.
And it’s also my first time trying pizza dough fermented with homemade yeast.
Watching the pizza being made… it’s so cool, I can’t take my eyes off it.
After just two minutes, the pizza was ready.
The weather was lovely, so I decided to eat at an outdoor table, where the greenery was beautiful and a river flowed right in front of me.
I took a bite of freshly baked pizza while soaking up the natural beauty of Sakazu.
The Tsurajima lotus root was astonishingly crisp!
It gets crisp because it is baked quickly at a high temperature, I was told.
I was also surprised by how well the lotus root paired with the garlic-infused basil sauce.
There’s plenty of cheese, which gives it a lovely toasted aroma too.
The flavor of the pizza dough, made with homemade yeast using fruit peels, which I was most curious about… had no fruity flavor.
The dough was not sour, but chewy, springy, and fragrant.
I thought the dough itself would have a strong flavor, but it complemented the main toppings perfectly.
The yeast and toppings change depending on the season.
Now, what kind of pizza should I try next?
I spoke with the manager, Inoue, about Miyake Shoten’s vision and how they got started making pizza.
Mizube no Cafe Miyake Shoten Sakazu Information
| Name | Mizube no Cafe Miyake Shoten Sakazu |
|---|---|
| Address | 2829 Sakazu, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 086-435-0046 |
| Parking | Available 17 spaces |
| Hours | Weekdays: 11:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. (last order: 3:00 p.m.) Weekends and holidays: 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (last order: 4:00 p.m.) *Currently operating reduced hours as listed above due to the spread of COVID-19 |
| Closed | Open daily |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Evening service is by reservation only. |
| Seating | 35 indoor seats Number of tables: 9 Number of counter seats: 5 35 outdoor seats Number of tables: 7 Number of counter seats: 6 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restrooms | Western-style toilet |
| Child-friendly facilities | Children’s chairs available |
| Website | Miyake Shoten - Sakazu - Cafe by the Water |
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