On a tiny island, in a tiny part of town sits a thumb-nail sized café.
Run by a young woman who comes from Kobe and who moved six years ago to Naoshima, Café Hifumiyo is an enchanting place.
It sits in a fortunate position right across a narrow street from an Art House site – the one designed by Tadao Ando, featuring the work of the artist James Turrell.
It quite literally is the tiniest café I’ve ever seen in my life. Owing to its postage stamp size – more like a wedge – the café’s intimate feel is inevitable. Even if you’re an introvert, you’ll want to talk to the one or two other people who manage to squeeze inside with you.
Upon entering, I’m enveloped in the warmth of honey-coloured wood, the smell of coffee and pastries that she herself makes. Dried flowers adorn the walls and signs are written in her hand.
Her life – living on this island, coming to work in this tiniest of cafés – is magical. To me, her life is something from an Enid Blyton book.
I imagine how she bakes those peanut-butter-chocolate-chip and blueberry cream-cheese muffins behind that counter, who her regular customers are, the conversations they must have and about what.
Her daily life. Quiet and rich.
If you’re ever there, I recommend buying yourself a cup of coffee and a muffin. Sit on the three-person bench inside and spend a few minutes in her world.
Café Hifumiyo is in the same yard as a guest house that has a cat. The signs for the guesthouse and the café are on either side of the yard’s entryway.
Enjoy!
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