Iroiro

Attention: This cafe is reservation only, except for days with special events.

Nestled, deep in the Kizugawa countryside of Kyoto surrounded by tea fields is the lovely kominka cafe “Iroiro“. The cafe opened on January 16, 2021 and is run by two very friendly ladies who met each other by chance at the same school they brought their kids to.

The origin of the name, “IroIro” which translates to various/all sorts of, comes from the owners’ desire to do various things centered around the cafe, to connect with various people and as two owners with a hearty appetite they also wanted to offer lunch plates consisting of various foods and ingredients. Besides running a cafe and their sidegigs as a video/photographer and outdoor shop clerk, the owners also provide a catering service, sell bentos (Japanese lunchboxes), run a photostudio “Shirushi” on the second floor and since beginning of 2023 also organize cooking classes “IroIro besshitsu”.

Iroiro sits in a renovated kominka that was built over 80 years ago, which used to be a storehouse for agricultural goods. Before that, it was even used by tea farmers as a workshop for steaming tea leaves. The building remained vacant for a while until it was taken over by the owners of IroIro, whom in collaboration with their skilled carpenter friend ‘古今(ここん),’ undertook its renovation. This process took about a year, and the establishment finally opened its doors in January 2021.

The cafe can be accessed by train, Yamatoji Line – 加茂駅 Kamo station and from there by bus (number 65) to Ibirao bus stop from which it is only a four minute walk. You will find the cafe at the foot of a small mountain called Kataharayama. However coming by car might be more convenient as the café offers parking spaces for up to nine cars right next to the cafe.

Entering the café you will be welcomed by a dimly lit rustic interior that was mostly left untouched during the renovation with the original wooden beams of the building as well as the tsuchikabe clearly visible adding to the rustic atmosphere. The cafe is spacious and due to the second floor being completely open with light shining in from the second floor windows, the cafe has a spacious yet cozy feel.

The menu changes monthly using fresh seasonal vegetables conscious of local production for local consumption and handmade seasonings or special ingredients are used as much as possible. A lunchplate is quite large consisting of many small delicious foods followed by a large desert, guaranteed to fill your belly. The lunchplate in the photos consists of: Asian chicken, spring cabbage with Szechuan pickles, bamboo shoots and butterbur with gochujang, carrots with almond butter, beans and coconut salad, shredded daikon radish salad, lotus root with yuzu pepper, Chinese kinpira, celery with cumin seed, sweet potato Deli salad, marinated purple cabbage, seasonal onion oil-grilled, kumquat and radish pickles, homemade kimchi, red rice rice, ginger spice miso, and miso soup.

The cafe is reservation only, except when special events are held and available date and times will be announced on their official instagram page where customers can choose a timeslot of 1,5 hour. The cafe is only accessible by bus or car and for customers who travel by car there are is parking space for at least nine cars.

IroIro is an absolute gem, run by two friendly owners, serving amazing food in a cozy rustic setting, right in the Kyoto countryside surrounded by nature and a visit is heavily recommended.