いちい （櫟）Ichii — Restaurant in Takayama

It’s common to feel lost after taking a few wrong turns in a strange city, but it’s not every day that you stumble upon a hidden gem while wandering aimlessly. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to me. Our internet-free exploration led us to the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful city of Hida Takayama. It was a bit chilly, and the wintry breeze nudged us toward a small café named Ichii, perched proudly at the summit. The promise of a warm cup of coffee drew us in, and before we knew it, we had stepped into what felt like the real-world version of a Miyazaki animation.

I’m not exaggerating. The café owners, the cozy atmosphere, and the rich aroma of coffee in that golden afternoon created a memory I’ll treasure for a lifetime. To top it all off, we had the pleasure of meeting Soni Terawaki, a Japanese musician who spent years in Australia studying First Nations musical culture. A professional didgeridoo player, he masterfully blends Torres Strait music with Japanese melodies—a truly unique experience!

I wholeheartedly recommend following the path of my happy accident: lose your way, and let serendipity guide you to an afternoon filled with music, heartfelt conversations, exquisite beatiful and delicious cakes, and, of course, a steaming...

Lovely little cafe at the top of a winding road overlooking Takayama and views across to snowy peaks even in Spring (mid-April) when we visited. Stopped for a coffee on our way to a small hill-top park, sat on the veranda enjoying the lovely peace and quiet. Friendly service, English spoken, and a quaint atmosphere of a family run cafe - young family and young children playing on the swing chair and happily greeting us 'gaijin' in their finest English - Kawaii!:). Well worth the walk up out of town to get away for a drink or some food and soak up the view. I think an evening here eating and watching the sunset would have been worth it....

We loved this place! We walked up from the village to watch the sunset over Dorio and cake. The cafe is charming and so cozy. The two ladies that work there were delightful and friendly. The dorio was yummy and the pear cake was soooo good…soft, not overly sweet, and very fresh. I would not have normally ordered pear cake but they were sold out of the other options…not surprising given how good everything was. Anyway, I’m glad we ordered it because it was fantastic! If we are ever in the area again, we will make a point...