Last Friday, returning guests Kondo-san and Rika, asked everyone to join them for a barbecue. Kondo-san and Rika did all the shopping and prep in the kitchen, Mo-san helped get the barbecues going and provided some ambiance with a few tunes on his guitar, Yasu did most of the cooking (and eating!), and Yamaken joined us for the last few laughs. Thanks everyone for a lovely night!

If you too would like to have your own barbecue party, tabi-tabi has all the facilities you need. We can provide backyard seating, lighting, table-top barbecues, grills, charcoal, platters, tongues, foil, salt, pepper, soy sauce, dishes, and cutlery for ¥2000. All you need to bring is the food and some friends.

Barbecue parties can be held any night of the week from 6pm to 10 pm. Please reserve your barbecue party when you make an enquiry for accommodation.

Please do not bring your own BBQs, or try to barbecue indoors. Thanks!

For those of you who have been visiting the Kisami area for sometime, you may have noticed that Paradise has been lost and in it's place Cafe Mellow has set up shop. Although some of the changes will take some getting used to, we were impressed with the food, service, and reasonable prices. Despite the name, staff are attentive and dishes are served up quick. Cafe Mellow offers burgers, sandwiches, pasta, curry, and appetizers from 11 am til 11 pm.

The day we went for lunch we had a Grilled Broad-bill Swordfish Sandwich which came with fries and a bit of salad on the side for ¥800, and the Basil Sauce with Shrimp and Avocado Pasta for ¥1050. Both were fresh, yum, and plentiful. The sandwich I thought could use a smear of mayonaise and a good dash of pepper which they were more than happy to provide.

For those of you arriving late on Friday night from Tokyo, Cafe mellow is the perfect place for a late night drink to help you mellow out from the big city buzz. 

Cafe Mellow is about 5 minutes on foot from Guesthouse tabi-tabi. You can also find it on our recommendation map here.

Open: 11-00 - 23:00

If you love a good sandwich, like I love a good sandwich, you have got to check out cubstar in Shimoda. They have a Panini lunch special to please everyone. A veggie version with mozzarella and cheese, the pescetarian special (as above) is filled with cream cheese and lox (smoked salmon), and for lovers of meat they a have Bologna and egg salad mix. Try to leave a little room for dessert because Cubstar's Yama-chan makes the best French toast this side of the planet. This hot and crispy treat is available anytime, comes in two sizes, and has an assortment of flavors but I get the large basic version with honey everytime (to share of course). They also have a dinner menu, with nice fresh salads, pastas, smoothies, and excellent Italian coffees. Be sure to order a cappuccino in order bare witness to Hoshi-kun's coffee art skills. Cubstar now has a take-out menu so you can grab a good coffee or a smoothie and sit next to the river on Perry Road which is less than a 5 minute walk from the cafe. Cubstar can be a little tricky to find but just look for the quaint green church that is their neighbour. I will also add it to our recommendation map here.

At the Ra-Maru Diner in Michi-no-Eki they serve a fish burger made with Shimoda's most popular fish, kin-me-dai (aka splendid alfonsino). ¥1000 may seem a little pricey for a fish burger and some chips, but it's a tasty change from its beef and bun cousin.

Open:10:00 - 17:00

Earny's is a great new Italian restaurant propped up against a rocky island in Shimoda Bay (there is a bridge). We were impressed with their excellent lunch menu. For only ¥1500 we got an appetizer of our choice, picked out a pasta which came with a salad, and then had to choose from a yummy selection of desserts, and finised off with our choice of coffee or tea.

Lunch: 11:30 - 14:00

Dinner: 18:00 - 22:00  (last order 21:00)

Closed: Tuesday

You can find it on our recommendation map here

Just a short stroll from Guesthouse tabi-tabi a Jerk Chicken Shop has opened up. Their cozy nook, Bingo, is situated right next to Kisami's shrine so on late evenings in September you can listen to live taiko drumming, shamisen, and bamboo flutes while filling up on their Jamaican Style BBQed bird, and draft beer.

Open: 11:30 - 20:00

Closed: Tuesday

You can also find it on our recommendation maps here and here.

Kaitenzushi is a sushi shop where nigirizushi rolls up to you on a conveyer belt and you get to take your pick of Japan's most celebrated culinary tradition. Sakanadonya is on the 2nd floor of Shimoda's Michi-no-eki (road station), right next to the ocean. It doesn't get any fresher than this!

The cuts of fish are huge but if you are on a budget, don't just look at the tasty bites of seafood, make sure to check out the plates.  The dishes are priced according to the color and design of the plates the sushi is layed out on. Check the wall for a plate to yen conversion chart.

Michi-no-eki is located near the port just a little north of the station on the 136, and is also a great place to buy omiyage (souvenirs). You can find it our map here.

Open: 11:00 - 20:00

Price: Dishes from ¥130 to ¥530

I think most foreigners living in Japan would agree that there are not enough breakfast places around.So I am happy to have discovered a great new spot with fluffy omelettes, toast, Italian coffee and freshly squeezed OJ. They even have an outdoor deck. And on top of it all, it is less than 15 minutes away on a bike and cost less than ¥1500. Everything was fresh and tasty! What a great way to start the day!

Fontaine Cafe and Cake shop is just a little south of Kisami on the 136. You can take a bike from tabi-tabi or find it on our recommendation map here.

Open: 10:00 - 19:30

Last order: 18:00

Tobi Ishi is our favorite Japanese breakfast spot. For 500 yen you get a perfectly grilled aji, rice, pickles, miso soup, an egg, and some nori (dried seaweed). If you don't like your egg raw, the friendly obasan is happy to cook it for you. Natto is an extra 50 yen. She's stays open late (weekends until 11 pm) and serves up other common Japanese dishes like soba, curry, and ramen. She's got cold beer and a good selection of ice-cream in the freezer. This place hasn't changed in years, perhaps 30, as the beer ads with women in highcut bathing suits reveal.Tobi Ishi is a 5 minute walk from tabi-tabi, you can also find it on our recommendation map here.

Chaki Chaki is another excellent cafe/bar/restaurant run by a true culinary artist/designer/Shimoda lover. The owner not only produces creative edible delights, he edits and publishing a free Shimoda lover's magazine, and a yearly bilingual guide book unmatched by any I have ever seen in Japan. We have a copy of the guide book at tabi-tabi or you can purchase your own at any of Shimoda's bookstores or the tourist information center. The restaurant is an easy walk from the station, about half-way to Perry Road. The bilingual menu has a great selection of Japanese inspired dishes. Last time we went we had a deep dish seafood pasta, cheese and shiso rolls, and a scrumptious original salad. I also love their selection of umeshu (plum wine).