A couple of months ago my friends and I were given a book to review about a little village far from the crowded cities of Fukuoka. It seemed like a nice place. So last weekend a few friends and I rented a car to see what the village was about. It was a very tranquil place, the kind where you’d expect artists to seek refuge from the city. Quiet, flanked by mountains, rice terraces, and fall leaves. No convenience stores, no flashing lights, lots of nature. I would love to be placed there if I were to do the whole rural Japan thing again. Speaking of artists, the village is also famous for its pottery. A lot of pottery. We wanted to give it a try but it didn’t quite work out, so we’re planning to go back again. Needless to say, it was a pretty effective book.

We had lunch at this place, June Berry Cafe. They use local ingredients, and I believe the egg came from the chickens the owners were raising in the backyard of the restaurant/their house. The pattern on the dish is distinctive to the pottery made in the town.

Pottery is life in Toho Village.