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Sunny and spacious, with a menu full of simple sweets and light lunch options, Coniglia is a relaxed cafe with a proprietor who knows what she’s doing. Each plate to arrive on the warm wooden tables is decorated with cheerful bursts of color, and for those who love a little dash of cute, latte art isn’t the only place the cafe’s bunny motif pops up (they’re hidden tastefully around the space)! Located just down the street from popular tourist attractions like Miyoshi Winery and the Okuda Genso Sayume Art Museum, Cafe Coniglia is a casual spot to sit down and grab a cup of coffee and a bite to eat while sightseeing.

Cafe Coniglia is run by Masumi Kato, who was born and raised in Miyoshi, and dreamed of opening a cafe after graduating from university with a degree in nutrition. First, however, Kato spent years working as a chef in Hiroshima and Tokyo, living it up in the big city. It was when Masumi’s sister Minori called her up with a plan to open a store selling gifts and knick-knacks in Miyoshi, that she realized it might be the perfect time to head back to her hometown. Inspired by her sister’s plans, Masumi Kato opened Coniglia, which means female rabbit in Italian, because the forward hop of a rabbit seemed like an auspicious symbol for this new business (plus she had a pet rabbit, too). Things weren’t so simple at first, and Masumi Kato clearly has a lot of gratitude for the local friends and family who helped the cafe and gift shop find its feet. Over time, the menu has broadened from cafe basics to include all kinds of sweets and treats suggested by regulars.

Nowadays, some customers come to the cafe for bunny-themed treats like the squeal-inducing Usagi Parfait (715 yen, above) and lattes decorated with milk-foam rabbits (495 yen), but many also come for a taste of fresh, local ingredients. Kato uses fresh pasta made by nearby Egusa Shoten, honey from nearby apiaries, famous local Pione grapes, and a variety of basic ingredients (rice, eggs, vegetables) produced in Miyoshi for all the food served at Cafe Coniglia, in hopes of showing off the many delicious flavors found in the area. That means that the menu is seasonal, as well, with a rotating variety of lunch sets and a changing display case of sweets that use the local ingredients while they’re at their peak, allowing customers to try a range of foods depending on the time of year.

Ask Kato herself, and with a smile on her face, she’ll tell you all about her hopes that anyone who comes to eat at Coniglia will leave the cafe with a better idea of all the delicious things Miyoshi has to offer.

Masumi Kato is clearly working to give back to her community while making Cafe Coniglia a comfortable place for every customer who walks through the door. Even wheat-sensitive diners can treat themselves to the cafe’s rice flour pasta and pancakes, made with rice grown in Miyoshi of course! The cafe is not only convenient, within walking distance of other popular Miyoshi destinations, but it’s also a unique place to find a slice of Miyoshi hospitality.