A tour of delicious restaurants around Bitchu-Kokubunji, where shops are constantly being renewed

In April 2024, the JA direct sales store will become "Shunkan Hiroba Hare Nochi Hare (JA Hare No Kuni Okayama)," a store that sells a wide range of products, including locally grown vegetables, fruits, rice, flowers, meat, fish, and more. In addition, the "Kibiji Hospitality House" was renovated in June and an Italian restaurant, "IL ottimo," was added to the building! The popular bakery "bonbon" and the buffet restaurant "Kibi no Sato Yamate no Ichi" are also within walking distance, making this an area where you can enjoy food all around.

1. Shunkan Hiroba Sunny Then Sunny (JA Sunny Country Okayama)

The JA Harenokuni Okayama Yamate Farm Shop was renovated in April 2024, and is now crowded with people looking for fresh produce from early in the morning every day. It is easily accessible from Okayama and Kurashiki, and has a large parking lot, making it easy to use.

A spacious store with a wide selection of items

The aisles in the store are wide and easy to walk through. They sell not only local Soja produce, but also produce from within and outside Okayama Prefecture, so you can find a full range of seasonal produce, including vegetables, fruits, rice, flowers, fish, and meat. Although it is a direct sales store, you can do your daily shopping like you would at a supermarket.

Sweet and delicious corn grown locally in Soja!

Corn production is at its peak in Soja City. Sweet and delicious freshly harvested corn was lined up, and it sold out in a flash. Be sure to try the deliciousness of this season!

Shine Muscat is now available!

Okayama is about to enter the peak fruit season. Shine Muscat grapes are already on display! They're still a bit pricey, but they look delicious. Peaches are also in season now. There were culled peaches on display, but I can't wait for them to be in season. Soja City is a major producer of Shine Muscat grapes and peaches, so we'll soon be able to see delicious fruit at reasonable prices!

[Shunkan Hiroba Sunny Then Sunny (JA Sunny Country Okayama)]

Address: 23 Okaya, Soja Soja City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-93-2338

Business hours: 8:00-17:30

No regular holiday

Parking: Available

JA Sunny Country Okayama Official Website

2. Kibiji Hospitality House

Located in the center of the Kibiji area, Kibiji Hospitality House is a place where you can relax while looking out at the five-story pagoda of Bitchu Kokubunji Temple. On June 6, 2024, the restaurant was renovated and changed from Yamate Shokudo to the Italian restaurant IL ottimo. In addition to lunch, you can also enjoy a cafe at the restaurant, which overlooks the pagoda. On Sunday, July 14, 2024, a Meat Festival is planned where you can taste wild game, hamburgers, curry, and more.

Pasta Lunch

We had a pasta lunch made by a chef who used to work at a popular cafe in Hiroshima Prefecture! Lunch is available as a plate lunch (soup and salad included/1,500 yen) or a pasta lunch (from 1,100 yen). There are several types of pasta, but we had the "Bisei Beef Ragu Pasta Salad Set" which uses Bisei beef. The pasta was chewy and filled with chunks of diced Bisei beef, and both the pasta and the Bisei beef were very filling. It was lighter than the meat sauce, but had a rich flavor and was delicious. The salad was also very filling and made with locally grown vegetables, so it was delicious.

Dessert is a separate stomach!

The meal was so filling that I was full, but I still had room for dessert. The cakes were made by the chef and were just the right amount of sweet. The dessert was also very filling. This may be a special seat to enjoy while looking at the five-story pagoda of "Bicchukokubunji Temple"!

Haniwa: A souvenir unique to the Kibiji area

The sales corner in the store is fun to look at, with local specialty processed seasonings, snacks, drinks, and more. What particularly caught my eye were the small haniwa clay figures! These are souvenirs unique to the Kibiji area, which is dotted with ancient tombs.

Take-out only "PAGODA BURGER"

"PAGODA BURGER" is a take-out shop located outside. The pate is made with great care by "Shoun", a Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant in Okayama City, which produces "Kibiji Hospitality House", so it's definitely delicious! It's quite filling, so you'll be satisfied. They also have a variety of delicious drinks.

[Kibiji Hospitality House]

Address: 418 Yado, Soja Soja City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-94-1048

Business hours: 9:00-16:30

Closed: Tuesdays

Parking: Available

Kibiji Hospitality Hall

418 Yado, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture 719-1161

It is located in a location overlooking the five-storied pagoda of Bicchu-bunji Temple in the front, and on the premises there is a corner w...

3. Bonbon BREAD

This popular bakery in Soja has people lining up before it even opens, and is located opposite "Shunkan Hiroba Hare Nochi Hare (JA Hare No Kuni Okayama)". They mainly sell hard breads, but they also have sandwiches and cakes. There is an outdoor terrace, so you can enjoy your meal while admiring the five-story pagoda of Bitchu Kokubunji Temple. They also have a wide selection of drinks, and their parfaits are very popular!

Hard bread is popular

As it is a popular bakery, the freshly baked bread sells out one after another. The heavy hard bread is filled with nuts and dried fruit. There are many delicious looking breads that look filling.

There is also a wide selection of breads and side dishes.

They also have a wide selection of sandwiches and side dishes, making this a bakery popular with both children and adults. The cakes in the showcase are slightly larger than average, American style.

Terrace seating with a view of Bitchukokubunji Temple

When you go outside the shop, there is a terrace seating area with a good view of Bitchu Kokubunji Temple. There is a pleasant breeze blowing, so we recommend enjoying your bread and drink while taking in the view.

[bonbon BREAD]

Address: 7-1 Okaya, Soja Soja City, Okayama Prefecture

Business hours: 10:00-17:00

Closed: Wednesdays and Sundays

Parking: Available

bonbon BREAD｜Official Instagram

4. Yamate Market in Kibi Village

To the south of "Shunkan Hiroba Hare no Kuni Okayama (JA Hare no Kuni Okayama)" is "Kibi no Sato Yamate no Ichi." The market mainly features locally grown vegetables and fruits, but also ingredients from within and outside the prefecture. The adjacent buffet restaurant, which uses locally grown ingredients, is also popular.

Selling fresh local vegetables

The store's sales section was lined with fresh vegetables and fruits from within and outside the prefecture, including locally grown produce, tomatoes, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage.

The store is a treasure trove of ingredients

The store is filled with popular seasonings and ingredients from Okayama, and it's fun just to look at them. The most popular items were fruit jelly with Hello Kitty, Snoopy, and Doraemon characters.

"Kibikibitei" - a buffet of homemade side dishes

Kibikibitei is popular for its lunch buffet, which offers a wide variety of homemade side dishes, mainly made with locally sourced ingredients. The rice is also carefully sourced from Soja, with the white rice being Kinumusume and the black rice being rich in polyphenols. Red rice and black rice are also grown in the Bitchukokubunji area and are delicious, so be sure to give them a try.

Adults (junior high school students and above): 1,400 yen

Elementary school students: 900 yen

Ages 3 and up: 600 yen

0-2 years old: Free

[Kibi Village Yamate Market]

Address: 25-1 Okaya, Soja Soja City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0866-94-2555

Business hours: 9:00-16:00

Closed: Wednesday

Parking: Available

Kibi no Sato Yamate Market Official Website