"Takaoka Forest Kominka Cafe Yamanoko" (Takaoka, Hirosaki, TEL 0172-26-8785) opened near Takateru Shrine on November 1.

The shop is a renovated 80-year-old folk house and focuses on additive-free fermented food using Aomori prefecture ingredients. Utilizing crowdfunding for renovation, the project was completed in February 2018.

The owner, Emiko Takagi, lives in an old folk house with his family. The strong winds that occurred in April 2016 caused the roof galvans to fly, necessitating a large amount of repair costs. ``I was talking with my family about rebuilding my house, and I heard that a new museum will be built at Takateru Shrine I knew this and decided to renovate it into an old folk house cafe where I could stop by and take a break."

Initially it was aiming to open in July, but it was difficult to renovate, and it took time to obtain a business permit at an old private house. "Irori couldn't be used according to the current building standards, but I left it so that I could enjoy the group of people who surrounded Irori," Takagi said.

The store area is about 20 tsubo. There are 22 seats. The tableware mainly uses Tsugaru ware, and the chopsticks and coffee beans made from apple trees of Kimura Kishin Seisakusho (Millennium) use the original blend of "Keyaki" (Sakuragaoka) for home roasting. Takaki's son, Masaki, helps the shop, prepares hand drip and curry for coffee, and an 82-year-old mother is involved in the operation as a poster girl. Mr. Takagi smiles, saying, "All Hirosaki, all family".

Mr. Takagi says, "Yama no Gogo" (1,200 yen) on the menu is "a local food that considers health. I am confident in the fineness of the local food "Kenojiru" that contains chopped vegetables and root vegetables." Sticky chicken curry (800 yen), wild vegetable soba with plenty of mushrooms (800 yen). We also offer hand drip coffee (400 yen), cafe au lait (450 yen), Aomori herbal tea (500 yen) and so on.

Mr. Takagi also had the aspect of being a qigong therapist and ran "Total Beauty Salon Tink", but said he plans to set up a therapy room in the store and relocate when "Yama no Ko" opens. "In the future, I would like to work with local residents on a tourist guide that utilizes the scenery of Mt. Iwaki, intangible cultural properties, and historical hot springs," he said.

Business hours are from 11:00 to 17:00. Closed on Tuesdays.