YAMAGOYA SATO — Restaurant in Hakone

Amazing cafe, a leisurely walk from motohakone/hakone jinja. The owner Sato-san is fantastic not just as a host but as a sounding board and company for awesome intellectually stimulating conversations. Sato-san maintains herbs and plants native to Hakone area right outside the cafe. It is a little haven of nature.

The atmosphere inside the cafe is warm and cozy. The place bursts with the aroma of herbs. And the choice of drink...highly recommended is the herb tea that Sato-san brews from his herbs. He has listed the herbs with the chemical compounds in a book...browsing through is a delight to anyone...but more so for anyone with chemistry training.

And don't miss the hand made...

My favorite coffee & cafe in Hakone. Although, it’s not quite a “cafe” but actually the home to Sato, the kindest man who makes you feel very welcome and makes a delicious fresh brew of coffee. If you drive too quickly past the entrance, you’ll miss it as it, but look for the “Come in, we’re open” sign and parking for 3 cars and you’re at the right spot. Sato kindly welcomed our party of 6, making us each a lovely fresh cup of coffee and serving his famous matcha red bean pound cake and through Google translate, he initiated some conversation. The coffee was delicious and the cake was so yummy I wish I could have had more! Thank you, Sato, for your kindness and...

I liked this cafe so much that I went twice on my trip to Hakone! The cake, coffee and mountain herb tea are very delicious, and you can tell they were made with care. The owner is very kind, sharing stories about the area and chatting with me despite us having to use Google translate. The atmosphere feels like a cozy log cabin tucked in the woods, and you can see birds and even a tanuki if you are lucky in the garden. A wonderful, relaxing and comfy place, highky...