Welcome to Kawachiya

Hello, this is Gussan!

Today I’m introducing
Shisui-machi Nagae, Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture
《Kawachiya》.

There are 4 parking spaces right in front of the shop.
Being able to park and walk straight in is surprisingly nice.
“Homemade Cooking — Kawachiya”
The lettering has serious character.
While I’m usually drawn to anything stylish or cute,
I can’t help getting excited by this kind of one-of-a-kind, DIY exterior too.
A glass of water decorated with a holographic sheet greets you on arrival!
The personality is off the charts.
There’s also a kids’ chair available.
There’s a Ladies’ Lunch for 500 yen that comes with bread gratin, salad, dessert, and coffee,
and an Omurice Gratin for 700 yen (limited to 8 servings per day) — both require advance reservation, so plan ahead!
Seating is a mix of tables and traditional tatami zashiki.
Hand sanitizer and clear partitions are in place too.
It feels like dropping in at your countryside grandfather’s house — that kind of comforting nostalgia.
But there’s so much to look at, you can’t help but glance around constantly. Haha.
And whenever there are words, I have to read them all.

“Garlic miso? I’m so curious!!!”
“Wait, men can order the Ladies’ Lunch too? Then it’s not really a Ladies’ Lunch, is it?
And what does ‘Ladies” even mean here…”

That’s the kind of mood — eyes darting everywhere. Haha.
Now I’m intrigued by the fermented black garlic too. Haha.

Kawachiya’s Recommended Menu

The top recommendation is the 500-yen One-Coin Lunch.
On this day, the menu featured:
cream croquettes, zaru soba (cold buckwheat noodles), a mini salad, miso soup, rice, and coffee.
The star: the cream croquettes.
Crispy, crispy, crispy — then molten and creamy inside.

The owner is a former French chef, and his handmade cream croquettes are so good
you could happily eat five more, even though they’re deep-fried.
Have you ever had this experience?
It’s a first for me.
Rice & cream croquettes & zaru soba — all together.
Plus a salad,
plus miso soup,
plus coffee.

I couldn’t believe it.
All of this for just 500 yen.
The portions are generous enough to share with a small child — at one-coin pricing.

The owner is such a kind, easy-going gentleman that I almost worried out loud,
“Sir, are you actually making any money here?”

If you love a great deal, please pay [Kawachiya] a visit.

We update Instagram daily too!
SaruKuma shares lunch spots, parks, indoor play areas, and more — info for families raising kids in Kumamoto.
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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information accurate at the time of reporting. Prices and hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.