Tokyo, Japan

Noumin Cafe

This “peasant cafe” in the middle of Tokyo re-creates the atmosphere of the Japanese countryside.

Nestled inside a residential house in the quiet Setagaya neighborhood of Tokyo, this cafe brings a piece of the Japanese heartland to busy city residents.

Japan, surprisingly to some, is not all overpopulated cities with skyscrapers and advanced transportation networks. A large portion of the country lives in small, rural, traditional communities that are seldom visited by Japanese tourists, let alone by foreigners.

Noumin lets its visitors experience that quiet, humble side of Japan. The restaurant is inside a residential house and, just like when visiting someone in their home, visitors are expected to take off their shoes at the entrance as per Japanese custom. The interior of the cafe is filled with religious items, pictures of the farmers picking produce, and is overall permeated with a homey atmosphere.

The food is simple and organic, grown by the cafe owners themselves. It’s also suitable for vegetarians and vegans, which is uncommon in most eateries in the city. You can even experience eating on the famed kotatsu, a knee-high table with a foot-warmer inside, which adds to the cozy feel of the cafe.