SUNS COFEE — Riverside Picnic & Coffee in the Mountains

Suns Coffee began with a simple dream and the unexpected warmth of a small community. When Seira’s mother bought a house in Asahara, Seira started visiting the area more often. The quiet mountains, the clear waterway nearby, and the easy pace of life drew her in little by little. She had always hoped to open a café someday, and when she discovered a tiny vacant space close to the stream, it felt like the right place to try.

She renovated almost everything herself — painting the walls, building the deck, shaping the shop piece by piece. While she worked, neighbors regularly stopped by to chat, offer advice, or even lend a hand. Their friendliness surprised and moved her. By the time Suns Coffee opened, it already carried a part of the community within it.

Today, Suns Coffee is basically a small take-out window facing a peaceful stretch of water. Most people order a drink or sandwich, borrow one of the café’s picnic sheets (free), and walk a few steps down to the open bank below. With clean air, the sound of flowing water, and a view that changes with the light, it becomes an instant picnic — simple, relaxed, and quietly unforgettable.

The menu stays memorable. The açaí bowl, bright with plenty of fresh fruit, is a refreshing choice for breakfast or a mid-day break while exploring the valley on foot. The beef sandwich is equally popular: tender slices of beef with a gentle hint of garlic, the kind of flavor that brings visitors back the next day for another one.

Depending on the season, you might also find steak donburi, ice cream, or freshly made bagels. The lineup shifts gently with the weather, matching Asahara’s unhurried rhythm.

Even though Suns Coffee is mainly take-out, there are a few outdoor tables and chairs beside the parking area. However, most travelers simply make their way down to the bank below and treat the outdoors as their dining area, turning a simple meal into a small experience.

Step outside with your order and the landscape expands the entire visit. The waterside becomes your seat, the breeze your background music. Spending even a short time here gives the feeling of having stumbled upon a quiet corner of Japan that hasn’t changed much.

If you’re hoping for that quiet “hidden spot” feeling, Suns Coffee has it. Bring your order outside on a sunny day, take your time, and let Asahara do the rest.

You can reach Suns Coffee by taking the #13 bus from Miyauchikushido Station to Saeki Bunka Center, then walking about one hour along a quiet riverside trail with the kind of gentle countryside scenery you only find in rural Japan — a walk that feels more like a peaceful, rewarding hike than just getting from one place to another.

By car, it’s an easy 30–40 minutes from Miyajimaguchi or Iwakuni, and the drive itself is part of the scenery.