Osaka Day Trip, Nose Town’s Espero Cafe

A visit to Nose in northern Osaka Prefecture is a trip back in time. Only an hour from Osaka, Nose is a scenic farming town surrounded by mountains. Nose is pronounced like the beginning of “know” and “sense,” not the facial appendage.

Cousins from Osaka recently took my mom and me to visit their friend’s shop in Nose, Fairtrade Shop and Cafe Espero  (エスペーロ) , a beautifully renovated hundred year old farm house.

Espero’s owners are Mr. and Mrs. Saito, a delightful and well-travelled couple. They named their shop after Esperanto, a constructed language intended to allow people with different native languages to communicate. The Saitos are among an estimated two million people who speak the language. They were introduced to fair trade during a four-year stint in Bali and the shop is spacious and airy, yet filled with a great selection of fair trade goods.

The cafe has limited seating and is not always open, so it is best to call in advance to secure a reservation. There are counter seats and table seating.  There is also a traditional tatami room with kotasu seating, perfect for fall and winter.

The old farmhouse has been beautifully restored. The Saitos did an excellent job of keeping the traditional Japanese feel while seamlessly blending in elements from Indonesia and other travels.

The upstairs loft has a large library of international children’s books, and the potbelly stove and warm design elements add to the cozy appeal.

The menu is limited to a few items, but the food is seasonal, local, and often organic.  Mrs. Saito’s cooking is something special.

The day we went, the lunches included a choice of chickpea croquette or tandoori chicken, both offered with a colorful array of Japanese side-dishes, chock-full of local produce.

I watch a TV show called Haru’s Weekend at Japanese Old House Cafe, available internationally on NHK Premium. In each episode, a blogger visits old Japanese buildings that have been turned into cafes. Someone is usually on hand to point out interesting historical design features. Visiting Espero Cafe was being in an episode the show.  Mr. Saito not only showed us around the upstairs loft, but also showed us the storehouse. He spent quite a bit of time showing us around and having us guess the purpose of a number of old artifacts.

After a lovely afternoon at Espero, Mr. Saito recommended that we visit the Nomano Okeyaki, a 1,000 year old tree. It felt like it belonged in Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro. Other attractions include Nose Myokenzan an impressive mountain temple nearby.

Espero alone is worth the trip from Osaka, but Nose Town is a beautiful place to spend a day away from the city crowds.

Details

Fairtrade Shop and Cafe Espero  is usually open 11:00 – 17:00 Friday – Monday, but please call to confirm and make reservations.

Phone – 080-3764-7905.

Nose is about 1 hour from Osaka by car, or train and bus.  I recommend using Google Maps.  Cut and paste Espero’s address as your destination – 〒563-0121豊能郡能勢町地黄476, and select the public transportation option (the train icon) to get the specific options from your starting point and departure time.

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