English country life" peeking through a large glass window on one wall
The English-style garden is rich in flowers and trees and is inspired by the
Impressive café with a gentle space bathed in sunlight

Concept of English country life

　This time we report on "Nohon Cafe Boa Joli," a restaurant that opened in May 2004 in a corner of Minamiaso Village, where restaurants, resorts, and unique cafes are densely located, based on the concept of "English country life.
　The retro-style building set in an English-style garden with dozens of trees and flowers planted in harmony with the surrounding mountains creates the atmosphere of an English country town itself. The large glass windows on the walls allow the scenery of spring, summer, fall, and winter, as well as the sunlight, to blend into the space as part of the restaurant.

　The interior is decorated with driftwood café tables, antique furniture and sundries handmade by owner Minako Takakura and her husband, who is also a pottery craftsman.
　The lunch and café menus are prepared with a focus on handmade dishes based on the concept of "what is necessary and safe for the body," using plenty of vegetables, mainly locally grown.
　Please take a look at the many pictures of Boa Joli's space where you can relax and be at ease.

 

Store Appearance

　At the entrance of the store, there is a cute signboard handmade by the owner and his wife, Takakura. It draws you in with its fairy-tale atmosphere that looks like something out of a picture book!

 

　The name of the restaurant, Boa Joli, means ”beautiful forest. The store and garden were created in the image of a rustic house surrounded by trees and flowers at the foot of a mountain. The old house-style building surrounded by mountains and trees and the interior decorated with antique goods create a space that resembles a country town surrounded by nature in England.

　European antique wall panels, lamps, and small sundries are displayed throughout the garden.

　The most eye-catching of these is the handmade white hut (see image above) with benches and dolls, where visitors can sit and chat leisurely or take pictures against the retro atmosphere.

　Be sure to take a stroll through the exotic garden before or after your lunch/cafe ☆.

　Incidentally, although it may be difficult to imagine from the retro appearance, the café is actually barrier-free, with a ramp from the parking lot to the entrance, so that "wheelchair users" can enjoy the café in peace. The owner's attention to detail and concern for making the space barrier-free without compromising the concept of the space is wonderful.

 

interior

　In winter, a wood-burning stove is installed in the center of the room, which is perfectly balanced with the warm wooden ceiling and pure white interior.
　The tables and sofas are handmade from antiques, driftwood, and dead wood that the owner has spent a great deal of time collecting.

 The large glass windows on the walls are designed to resemble a "conservatory (sunroom)," which is common in English houses, and no matter which table you sit at, you can look out over the garden, which has a seasonal flair.
　The space is attractive, with plenty of sunlight outside clad in the colors of the four seasons, adding gorgeous colors to the interior of the restaurant. In addition, fresh flowers are arranged everywhere from the entrance to the interior of the restaurant, allowing visitors to feel close to "nature" no matter where they are.

 The signboard dog, Lily, welcomes you in the store!

 The interior and sundry goods in the store are all eye-catching and unusual in design, with many unique ceramic goods created by the owner's husband, who is also a pottery craftsman, on display.

 

Recommended Menu

　Basically, the menu consists mainly of vegetables, and they use as many different kinds of ingredients as possible so that you can eat as many items as you need for a day and eat healthy and safe food. Of course, all breads and scones are handmade!
　The drink menu also features selections from various sources, such as local home-roasted coffee beans that match the atmosphere of Boa Joli, and favorite teas from tea stores.

 

 Picnic lunch 1,300 yen

(+150 yen for drink / +300 yen for cake / +450 yen for drink and cake set)

 A fun one-plate lunch with lots of handmade bread, quiche, scones, salad, and side dishes in one basket!

 All of the side dishes are created using original additive-free recipes, and all of the marinated, stir-fried, and deep-fried dishes are finished with gentle flavors.

 ▲Nut bread (left) and ginger scones (right). The bread is fragrant with the flavor of nuts and has a chunky texture. The ginger scones are not too sweet and have a rich ginger aroma that fills the mouth!

 

Other Menu*.

Meal Menu

Nepalese curry with beans and chicken 1,300 yen (salad, side dish, bread or cereal rice set)
Authentic Nepalese curry with plenty of beans and fresh spices.

1,300 yen (salad, soup, tofu set)
Healthy takana fried rice with buckwheat, millet, adlay, and other millet grains, wakame seaweed, etc., and sesame oil.

Cake Menu

Matcha roll cake 500 yen
The cake is made with plenty of domestic matcha green tea and has an elegant sweetness with a hint of bitterness.

Baked Cheesecake 500 yen
The mild, rich cream cheese has a refreshing acidity from the lemon.

Drink Menu

Dimbula500 yen / Cake set 900 yen(Sri Lankan black tea from a tea specialty store)
Earl Grey tea 600 yen / Cake set 1,000 yen
Organic Darjeeling　600 yen / Cake set 1,000 yen（The highest quality Darjeeling (produced by ”bio-dynamic farming” in the foothills of the Himalayas in an ideal environment in harmony with nature).
Söderblend 700 yen / Cake set 1,100 yen ((A leading variety of Scandinavian black tea blended with premium Ceylon black tea, natural fruits and Scandinavian flowers and plants)
□Coffee Boa Joli's Holiday 500 yen / Cake Set 900 yen(Original blend by ”Mattarina,” a home-roasted coffee shop in Minamiaso)
Coffee of the Month(Amount varies depending on the bean)
Cafe au Lait 600 yen / Cake set 1,000 yen
Milk tea (boiled type) 600 yen / Cake set 1,000 yen
550 yen for apple juice / 950 yen for cake set(Aomori or Nagano fruit juice 100%)
Summer tangerine squash: 550 yen / Cake set: 950 yen

 

Interview with Minako Takakura, Owner*.

We want to create a café with an extraordinary atmosphere where people can relax and take their time, with the keyword "nature" as an important part of the experience.

 Owner Minako Takakura (left)

 

Q: When will it open?

It's May 2004. This is my 11th year."

Q: What were you doing before that?

My mother ran a French restaurant nearby, and I was in charge of pastries there, but at my mother's suggestion, and because my husband is a pottery artisan, we opened a store with both a café and a kiln. Currently, I concentrate on running the café."

Q: What is your concept?

When we opened the café, we wanted to create an extraordinary and relaxing space in harmony with the nature of Minami Aso. Ten years later, the trees have grown so much that in summer they create a tunnel of shining green trees. The fall foliage is also worth seeing. Each passing year brings us closer to our ideal space.

 Q: How do you feel now, 10 years later, compared to when you first opened?

When we first opened, we were too conscious of ”creating a comfortable space where people can spend their time calmly,” and our shoulders were tense and our nerves were on edge. Looking back on it now, I can see that customers would not feel at home if the staff had such a stuffy atmosphere (laughs). (Laughs) While it is important to create an attractive exterior and interior, I feel that the best way to create a space is for me to feel comfortable and natural.

 Q: What are your goals for the future?

I would like to preserve the garden and nature surrounding the store and gradually make it a more beautiful place in harmony with the nature of Minami Aso. I would also like to reopen the kiln, which is currently closed, at a later date so that customers can enjoy both the pottery and the café in one area."

Thank you for your time!

　From "Nohohon Cafe Boa Joli," where time passes leisurely surrounded by the great nature of Minami Aso, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the outer rim of the Aso Mountains. Why not come and relax after a hard day's work?

 

Access

Address: 409-5 Kawagin, Minamiaso Village, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Phone: 0967-67-3016
Hours of operation: 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Thursday and Friday

 

guidance

Take Route 325 toward Kumamoto from Takachiho, and enter Prefectural Route 28 at the above intersection. (*: The upper left image and the lower left image are the same intersection)

Pass under the guard, go up a gentle slope, and turn right at the intersection ahead of the information board in the upper right corner toward Kumamoto.

At the intersection with many of these signs posted, turn left in the opposite direction from the direction of Mt.

View of the intersection from the opposite side.

After a short distance, you will see a handmade sign on the right. Turn right at that path and the store is on the right.

 

MAP

409-5 Kawai, Minamiaso-mura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto 869-1411, Japan

 

Interview and editorial staff

Model Report: Nozomi Nakamoto
Photographed and produced by: VOKE Ltd.