Yama-no-Ie Oishi: Lunch and Siphon Coffee on Oishi Kogen

Overview

Oishi Kogen is a plateau on the long ridge running down from Koyasan, straddling the towns of Kimino and Aridagawa. A prefectural natural park, its 870-metre summit is crowned by some thirteen hectares of susuki, the silver-plumed Japanese pampas grass, and the view opens a full 360 degrees — on a clear day as far as the Rokko mountains above Kobe, Awaji Island and Shikoku. Yama-no-Ie Oishi is the rest house near the top, part canteen and part café, and the only place up here to sit down to a meal.

Two things define it: tamago kake gohan, rice with a raw egg from free-range hens, at 350 yen; and coffee brewed by siphon with water from the plateau, 400 yen, best taken on the outdoor terrace. Around them runs a plain, well-priced list — udon and soba from 600 to 900 yen, beef curry, gyudon and oyakodon at 750 to 800 yen, chilled somen in summer. You buy a ticket from the machine and hand it to the counter; payment is cash only, with no cards or QR apps, and prices move, so take these as a guide. A shop corner sells local crafts, sweets, honey and miso.

Hours are 9.30am to 4.30pm, the only closing days fall over the New Year, and admission and parking are free. Nearly everyone drives — about 45 minutes up from the Arida interchange. In susuki season, from early October to mid-November, the car park backs up from around midday, so come in the morning. The campsite on the plateau takes its bookings here too.