Did you know that there is a cafe restaurant in Kojima, famous for its jeans, that opened in 1969 and is celebrating its 52nd year in 2021?
It’s called “wagen.”
In addition to a morning set available only in the morning, wagen offers a wide-ranging menu and hearty set meals, making it a great place for lunch, too.
wagen has lots of delicious-looking dishes that whet your appetite, and they all look great on social media!
The restaurant’s name may have made some of you wonder, “Could it be…?”
That’s right—the owner loves cars, so you might enjoy chatting about cars after your meal.
In this article, students from our school, Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Washu Senior High School, located in Kojima, introduce everything they love about wagen, based on their own visit!
This article was contributed by students in the “Kojima Future Studies” class, part of the Period for Integrated Studies for second-year students at Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Washu Senior High School. The editorial team at Haretoco General Incorporated Association edited and published it.
The information presented was accurate when the article was published in May 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is cafe restaurant wagen?
wagen is a long-established cafe restaurant near Kojima Jeans Street, with a distinctive retro atmosphere.
The owner runs the restaurant with a desire to let customers enjoy the dishes they love and to support the local jeans industry.
A relaxed interior with a retro feel
As soon as you step inside wagen, Showa-era decor and soothing piano background music welcome you into a space where you can unwind and escape the bustle of everyday life.
The restaurant also displays many items from the owner’s collections, including jeans and miniature cars, making it a space filled with the owner’s favorite things.
There are 60 seats, so you can relax and enjoy the spacious interior.
wagen’s “white curry”
wagen’s menu is also full of the owner’s favorite things. What surprised us during our visit was the unusual white curry.
When we tried it, one surprise followed another.
The smooth texture is noticeable from the very first bite.
It has a spicy flavor unlike ordinary curry.
It tastes even better when eaten with fukujinzuke pickles!
We also recommend the white curry served with a generously sized cutlet.
Be sure to try this white curry, which is hard to find elsewhere.
Hearty and bursting with juices: “wagen steak”
Next up is the wagen steak.
It comes with sauce, white rice, and salad, and is a very hearty meal.
Add butter, lemon, sauce, or other toppings to the steak, which is bursting with juices, and enjoy the flavor of the meat.
We also recommend the set that comes with a generous serving of hamburger steak.
Instagram-worthy pink “cream soda”
The drinks are carefully selected, and our recommendation is the cream soda.
It’s pink!
The word “wagen” etched on the glass is stylish.
It’s also the perfect dessert after a meal.
There are also cakes, ice cream, and other treats that look great on social media.
If you visit in the morning, you can also order the morning service.
Enjoy a nutritious and hearty breakfast featuring either toast or rice balls.
“Kojima Domestic Jeans Museum,” brimming with the owner’s love of jeans
There’s something you should be sure to check out when you visit wagen.
It’s the jeans.
The owner’s love of jeans is remarkable—in fact, the first domestically made pair of jeans is on display at wagen!
Apparently, they came to be displayed at wagen because the owner had a connection with BIG JOHN.
That’s not all. To the right of wagen’s main restaurant is the “Kojima Domestic Jeans Museum,” where various materials related to jeans are on display.
The museum has a distinctly “American casual” feel, and displays retro jeans as well as the owner’s hobby cars!
Even the posters on display are all incredibly rare.
It’s amazing that almost all of these are the owner’s personal belongings.
The owner’s love of jeans must be immeasurable to have even built a museum for them.
Cafe Restaurant Wagen is a long-established establishment with over 50 years in business.
We asked the owner about the love they’ve put into the restaurant.
wagen details
| Name | wagen |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-3-8 Kojima Ogawa, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-472-1480 |
| Parking | Available |
| Hours | 6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. onward (reservation required) |
| Closed | Open daily |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Reservations only after 6:00 p.m. |
| Seating | 60 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restrooms | Western-style and Japanese-style toilets |
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