Yoyogi Village offers creative living. A thorough explanation of the latest stores offering gourmet food, fashion, and miscellaneous goods

Yoyogi is known for its offices and schools. However, just a minute's walk from JR Yoyogi Station, a short walk from the various buildings, you'll find a hidden gem that feels like an oasis in the city. The name of this green space is "Yoyogi VILLAGE by kurkku." The concept was created by music producer Takeshi Kobayashi, and the space and interior design of the facility, designed by interior designer Masamichi Katayama and plant hunter Seijun Nishihata, evokes a world that evokes the ideal of food, clothing and shelter.

Yoyogi Village has a lineup of charming shops that seem to encapsulate the latest Tokyo. The entire facility offers a creative lifestyle, including the MUSIC BAR, where you can enjoy the best music with a drink, the main restaurant code kurkku, and a cafe and bakery that are renowned for their taste and atmosphere. What's more, it is a utility unique to Tokyo that can be enjoyed from 8am to 3am. Yoyogi Village Director Azusa Iida showed us around the area to find out about the charms and latest information of Yoyogi Village.

Made with carefully selected homemade yeast. Enjoy fragrant, freshly baked bread in the morning at "pour-kur"

Pour-kur, a bakery that pursues both organic and delicious bread, is open from 8am. They have a wide selection of fragrant, freshly baked bread made with their own homemade yeast. The unique name of the store represents a joint project between POURQUOI?, a bakery in Shonan that uses homemade yeast and uses a stone oven for pizza, and kurkku, which proposes an organic lifestyle based on the concepts of delicious, comfortable, and environmentally friendly.

In addition to bread that has been aged at low temperature for a long time and made with homemade yeast to bring out its flavor and aroma, and pizza baked in a stone oven, you can't miss the seasonal limited items. "It's so popular that almost everything in the store is gone by the evening!" says Iida. If you're staying in the Shinjuku or Shibuya area, we recommend getting up early in the morning to buy the limited items and spending the morning relaxing in the facility.

Exquisite flavor and carefully dripped coffee. Specialty coffee "DIM LIGHT COFFEE"

DIM LIGHT COFFEE is known for its strict quality control. The specialty coffee is carefully refined at designated farms and roasted by baristas with many years of experience. They also offer freshly baked sweets and snacks that go well with the carefully brewed coffee. On the day we visited, there were rows of delicious-looking cookies with sweet aromas wafting from the air.

"We open from 9am, so we're visited by travelers staying nearby, and people stopping by to have a cup of coffee before going to work, so it's busy from the morning," says Iida. In the afternoon, office workers use it for meetings, and some people enjoy tea time while walking their dogs. Why not spend some relaxing time on the open terrace, feeling the pleasant breeze?

"eau Shop of TAKEFU" - Bamboo fiber "bamboo cloth" and organic goods

"Bamboo cloth" is a popular textile material that has been featured on television recently. When you hear "fiber made from bamboo," many people may imagine a hemp-like material, but in reality it is soft and delicate like silk, and feels very pleasant to the touch. At "eau Shop of TAKEFU," you are required to take off your shoes at the entrance so that you can directly experience the healing power of "TAKEFU." After taking off your shoes and relaxing, you can free your mind and body and leisurely browse through the bamboo cloth products and organic goods.

The popular tops are thin, soft, and lightweight, while retaining the natural warmth of bamboo. They are very warm and perfect for the cold season. They also come in cardigan-style, which you can throw on when it gets cold on the plane, making them convenient for travel. They are also very popular with customers from overseas. Iida is one of the regular users, and gives them his stamp of approval, saying, "The pants are soft and extremely comfortable to wear. I also recommend them as loungewear." Furthermore, the socks, masks, and towels, which utilize the deodorizing properties of bamboo, are also enchanting to the touch. Once you try them, you won't be able to stop, so it's no wonder that the repeat customer rate is so high.

In addition, there are many organic goods that are kind to the body, such as clay soap for washing the whole body, clay shampoo for pets, and additive-free skin care products. The skin care travel set is also useful for skin that tends to become rough during travel due to changes in the environment. Please try out the products that are perfect for yourself or as souvenirs.

Sora Botanical Garden Information Center & Cafe: Relax while looking at the garden

Sora Botanical Garden is a plant consulting office that proposes and supports various projects that make the most of the potential and charm of plants. There is a cafe that is operated as a spot to disseminate information. The cafe introduces domestic and international projects that connect people with nature through activities to "plant plants in people's hearts," as well as the latest information on events.

Yoyogi Village's garden, which is home to a collection of rare plants from all over the world, is also unique in that the plants are replaced four times a year according to the season. This can be seen on display here. In addition, the "Gardening Workshop" is a workshop where plant hunter Seijun Nishihata creates gardens together with general participants, respecting the sensibilities of each participant, from children to adults. It truly embodies the image of a "new commercial facility" that is closely linked to the daily lives of local people. Be sure to check in advance what events are taking place during your stay in Tokyo.

They also sell books, miscellaneous goods, original special drinks, and plant-related sweets. You can also bring takeout drinks and sweets sold at the adjacent "CONTENART" to bring here. Iida says that when he wants to be soothed by looking at the garden, he comes here with his favorite drink. Spending some time relaxing in the free space while looking at the garden is sure to give you a sense of the healing effects of the plants.

CONTENART, a tea boutique certified by Ronnefeldt, Germany's finest black tea

CONTENART is the only Ronnefeldt certified tea boutique in Tokyo's 23 wards. Ronnefeldt tea is a world-renowned tea that is used not only in five-star hotels in Germany and around the world, but also in the world's only seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab Dubai. Founded in Frankfurt, Germany in 1823, it is a historic tea brand that has built its own brand with excellent quality and a manufacturing method that takes time and effort. CONTENART is certified by Ronnefeldt, Germany's finest tea. There are more than 10 Ronnefeldt tea masters who are always available to answer any questions you may have about tea.

There is also both a cafe corner and a sales corner, so you can look at the tea leaves, enjoy the aroma, and try a few to find your favorite before purchasing. The cafe corner has a wide selection of tea drinks, mainly herbal teas and black teas. Iida's recommendation is the photogenic and unique shaved ice, which is only available in the summer. Other delicious and healthy sweets and drinks worth checking out include homemade cheesecake made with the fruit of the giant African tree "baobab" and fruit tea made with carefully extracted dried fruit.

"Code Kurkku" is a new and bold Italian restaurant that uses Japanese ingredients.

Yoyogi Village's main dining area, "Code Kurkku", is a delicate yet bold new Italian restaurant that incorporates Japanese ingredients. You can enjoy a course menu that reflects the four seasons, with an abundance of seasonal vegetables and seafood sourced directly from producers across the country.

This is "Roasted duck breast with Saikyo miso flavor and autumn vegetables," which can also be selected as the main dish of the course. The autumn vegetables include burdock, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and chanterelle mushrooms, which are in season now, allowing you to fully enjoy the flavors of autumn. (A la carte 4,200 yen / tax included, 10% service charge not included, full course of 6 dishes 7,000 yen / tax included, 10% service charge not included) *Menu at time of photographing. Varies depending on the season.

The dining area has high ceilings and a great sense of openness, with spacious windows overlooking the garden filled with plants from all over the world. "You can enter the restaurant with your buggy, so it's popular with moms and girls' get-togethers during lunch time," says Iida. In addition, there are terrace seats where you can dine while looking out at the garden, a luxurious VIP room on the second floor that can be used as a private room, and casual lounge seats.

Why not enjoy a delicious meal in a lovely space as a memento of your trip?

Also recommended for lunch: Yoyogi Curry, a Japanese-style curry full of originality

Yoyogi Curry is a cafe bar and restaurant that serves delicious Japanese curry made with Japanese ingredients and dashi. In addition to the original curry, they also offer seasonal salads, snacks, and handmade desserts such as tiramisu, along with unique cocktails and wines. This is a restaurant where you can enjoy unique curry with alcohol, which is something you'd never expect. Their signature dish, Scallop Butter Lemon Curry (980 yen), is a coconut milk-based dish that combines the flavor of lemon, the umami of scallops, and the sweetness of fried onions for an exquisite taste. They also have a full lineup of other dishes that you won't find anywhere else.

In addition to the a la carte dishes such as curry shop potato salad, rillettes, and marinades, there is also a very reasonable 90-minute all-you-can-drink course plan available only during dinner time. (From 3,900 yen, you can enjoy a platter of three appetizers, seasonal salad, anchovy fries, and a platter of three curries.) From the open terrace seats with a sense of freedom to counter seats where you can casually enjoy yourself alone, it is a great place for a lunchtime dish to recharge your energy, or to spend some time relaxing with a course meal. There are many ways to enjoy it.

"SUPER Me" is a restaurant that uses ingredients directly delivered from the producers and places of origin.

SUPER Me is a restaurant and bar that uses carefully selected seasonal ingredients delivered directly from the source. You can enjoy creative menus, both Japanese and Western, using seasonal ingredients that are made with the care of the producers and the place of production. The menu is full of dishes that are pleasing to both the eye and the tongue, such as salads made with homemade dressings and pesticide-free vegetables, carpaccio made with fresh fish purchased that morning and scented with lemon herbs, and 18-month aged prosciutto from Parma, Italy. There is also a wide selection of bio wines to go with the carefully selected dishes.

Also, the 8-course meal with unlimited drinks is surprisingly priced at 4,000 yen. This is a restaurant you should add to your repertoire as a place where you can casually enjoy delicious food and wine.

Meat Bar Maison: Enjoy meat and wine in a casual, homey atmosphere

Meat Bar Maison is a meat bar with an appealing, homey atmosphere that will make you want to visit every day. They offer a wide variety of tapas, including wine and meat dishes, starting at 380 yen. Wine is also available at an amazing price of 3,500 yen per bottle. As they tout their "casual rich" reputation, you're sure to be pleasantly surprised and say, "Wow! This food at this quantity and price!?"

It's open until midnight, so it's great for stopping by as your second stop.

"MUSIC BAR" where you can enjoy Takeshi Kobayashi's carefully selected music, from timeless classics to the latest recordings, in the best sound quality.

"MUSIC BAR" offers over 3,000 analog records, from timeless classics to the latest recordings, supervised by music producer Takeshi Kobayashi, which can be enjoyed on a top-of-the-line sound system. You can spend a luxurious time "encountering music" created by musicians. Of course, you can also enjoy alcohol, fresh juices, and meals. It is open until 27:00 (3:00 a.m.) from Monday to Saturday, so it is a great spot to end your Tokyo sightseeing.

With a high ceiling that gives a feeling of openness, and vinyl records lining the walls. The space was created with a particular focus on acoustics, so you will feel as if you are being showered with sound that rains down on your entire body. There are sofas and stylish chairs where you can relax in a tipsy mood, as well as high stools that are perfect for stopping by to listen to music over a drink. Why not spend a wonderful evening in this sophisticated space, with friends or by yourself, at MUSIC BAR, where the atmosphere, music, drinks, and food are all high-end?

Yoyogi Village can be enjoyed from morning until late at night, and shows different faces depending on the time of day and the season. The plants in the garden are replaced with decorations according to the season, so no matter when you visit, you can feel the season. Why not spend a wonderful time fulfilling your ideal food, clothing and shelter in this urban oasis of about 2,000 square meters, which you would never believe is just a one-minute walk from Yoyogi Station?