Lemons are something most of you have probably eaten at least once.
Do you know a coffee shop with a giant lemon standing outside?
It’s called “Sun Lemon.”
The giant lemon sculpture is sure to impress, and there are plenty of delicious, nutritious dishes to enjoy for breakfast or lunch!
There are also Instagram-worthy menu items that are popular at dessert time. They’re loved by regulars, and have recently become increasingly popular with younger customers, too.
This article introduces Sun Lemon’s recommended menu items and what makes the shop special.
This article was contributed by students in their second year at Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Washu Senior High School as part of the “Kojima Future Studies” class in the Period for Integrated Studies. The Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team revised and published it.
The information presented was accurate when this article was published in July 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Sun Lemon: A popular coffee shop with an American diner atmosphere
You might expect the interior to be inspired by Showa-era Japan, but it’s actually designed to evoke an American diner.
Diner: A casual restaurant along a main road. A prefabricated-style restaurant unique to North America.
Water flows down the large windows, bringing a refreshing coolness even on hot summer days.
Paintings and plants decorate the space, while the red-shaded lights—rarely seen these days—create a retro mood.
There’s even a bear visiting by the window. It’s very cute, and its outfit changes with the seasons.
It’s a relaxing space with soothing background music.
It’s a great place to unwind when you visit Kojima.
Start your morning with this! Sunset with thick-cut bread
Sunset was featured on a local TV station.
The fresh, generously portioned salad and fluffy bread, soaked through with butter, make this a great breakfast choice.
It pairs perfectly with coffee, but you can choose from other drinks as well.
Eating Sunset in the morning is sure to give you the energy to enjoy your day!
By the way, it’s available all day, so you can order it anytime.
Hungry for a hearty meal? Turkish Lunch
Set meals are a great choice for lunch when you’re hungry. Turkish Lunch is especially popular.
Apparently, TV personality Hikomaro, known for his catchphrase “It’s a treasure chest of [〇〇]!”, has tried it.
Turkish Lunch comes with Italian-style spaghetti, katsu curry, and salad.
A Turkish Lunch is sure to help you power through your afternoon tasks.
Packed with fruit! A chilled fruit cream soda
The fruit cream soda is a must-try when you visit Sun Lemon.
It contains seven kinds of fruit: cherries, bananas, kiwi, mandarin oranges, yellow peaches, apples, and pineapple.
The Hawaiian Float is also popular.
The drinks sparkle in the light from the window, making them very Instagram-worthy and popular with younger customers.
On hot summer days, you can cool off with a refreshing cream soda or Hawaiian Float.
Sun Lemon is loved by a wide range of people, from regulars to the social media generation.
We asked the owner about the love they’ve put into the shop.
Interview with Sun Lemon staff
We interviewed the staff at Sun Lemon, which has been in business for 50 years, and asked how they feel about the shop.
The story behind the shop’s name
Could you tell us how the shop got its name?
Staff
Actually, Sun Lemon means “sun (the sun) and lemon.”
“Sun” comes from the Tower of the Sun, since the Osaka Expo was being held at the time.
Also, back then, biting into whole lemons was popular among young people, and that inspired the “lemon” part.
Have the menu items changed over the years?
Has the age range of your customers changed over the years?
Staff
When we first opened, many of our customers were office workers and families. With the spread of social media, we now see more young people, including students, couples, and groups of women.
Have the menu items changed as well?
Staff
We used to serve a lot of set meals, such as “〇〇 Teishoku,” because many office workers came in for lunch. Now we have more Western-style dishes, such as “〇〇 Lunch,” that are easy for young women to enjoy.
Sweets such as cream soda, ordered at dessert time, are also popular.
More customers are also deliberately ordering lemon squash and lemonade, inspired by the shop’s name.
Original blend coffee with the same taste since the shop opened
Are there any menu items that have remained popular since the shop first opened?
Staff
Coffee has always been popular. Many people order it in the morning or during a break from work.
Do you have a particular preference for your coffee beans?
Staff
We make our own original coffee blends.
They’ve changed little by little over the past 50 years, but we try to make them taste and smell as close to the original as possible.
How would you like to continue running the shop from here on?
Staff
We’ve been able to keep going thanks to our customers.
We hope to keep offering dishes that are loved across generations, by both our regulars and younger customers.
From the Writer
Sun Lemon is a warm, welcoming shop filled with the owner’s kindness, where customers are greeted and served from the heart.
I think that is the secret to being loved by so many customers for so long.
With its relaxing atmosphere and nostalgic feel, this is a recommended coffee shop you’ll want to visit again and again.
Enjoying delicious dishes and chatting with friends by the window will help you forget the busyness of everyday life.
Be sure to visit Sun Lemon, the coffee shop marked by its large lemon object!
Sun Lemon Information
| Name | Sun Lemon |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-1-1 Kojima Ogawa, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086−472−5281 |
| Parking | Available |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Last orders at 7:30 p.m. |
| Closed | Thursday and Friday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 52 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Japanese-style toilet |
| Website | Sun Lemon Official Instagram |
