Living in Wakayama: Hidden Aussie Coffee Shop, Local Encounters & My Cat’s Adventure!

Living in Wakayama: Hidden Aussie Coffee Shop, Local Encounters & My Cat’s Adventure!

I heard there’s a brand new Aussie coffee shop right here in Wakayama, so I had to check it out. Join me and my friend Norico as we explore this hidden gem in an old shopping arcade. But that’s not all. Let’s meet some of the amazing locals while I take my daily walks with Millie, my curious cat. Oh, and guess what? Milliey’s got her very own cat cam now. Let’s see what she’s been getting up to. I often get asked the question, why Wakyama? Well, Wakayama is just an hour from Osaka, and for me, it’s the perfect hidden gem. It’s a cozy town with everything you need, but it’s also wrapped in beautiful nature. It has stunning coastlines and really peaceful mountains. It’s the best of both worlds, close to the city, but a world away from the crowds. It also has the very famous Koasan, which I love visiting both in winter and summer. So, let’s start off our journey this morning with Millie. Every morning, we start our day with a bit of time out in the garden. I usually grab a coffee and bring Millie out here to play, but today she’s wearing something very special. She’s wearing her very own cat cam. I was able to get this off Amazon thanks to a viewer who had this really great idea. I had to put a sock on her because the first lot of footage that I took actually all you could see was her white fluffy fur around the camera. So, I’m going to put Millie at the door and let’s see what kind of magic she can create with her cat cam. Milliey’s curiosity is one of my favorite things to watch. She’s always checking things out and never in a rush. She’s very dainty with her steps. Cats are so intentional with their movements. She walks around really carefully and checks everything in the garden. It’s amazing to think that everything around her is just a new discovery every day. I feel like I could actually follow Millie around all day to try and discover what are the things that are the most interesting to her. Sometimes she acts like she’s on a secret mission and she needs to spy at me from undercover areas. That’s the funniest bit when I catch her hiding and staring at me from a corner. She’s a bit of a stalker cat, so she does like to stalk me sometimes around the house and then suddenly pounce. It’s just something I think all cats probably do. It’s been so fun watching what Millie gets up to from her perspective. So this morning I actually have work today, but I thought I’d start the day with going for a walk. Now the weather is warming up a little bit. It’s a little bit cool this morning, but I am committed to exercising this year. And sometimes it’s just a walk, sometimes it’s a bike ride, but I’m definitely going to make the effort to make it happen. And taking Millie with me makes it a whole lot more fun. Usually every morning I’ve been running into one of my neighbors. She’s also out walking about the same time a day and we usually have a bit of a chat. Yeah. So, so such a sweet lady and we’ve probably been running into each other three or four times a week. She’s always out walking and usually about the same time that I’m out walking as well. Seems like everyone’s out and about today cuz the weather is so perfect. And it wasn’t long before I made a new friend along my way. [Music] [Music] Coco.ch. Yeah. [Music] [Music] mother. Hi. Because I’ve been living in the area for 2 years now, I think people are starting to recognize me and probably Millie when we go out on our walks. I’m always polite. I always say when I see someone and often that’ll lead to a conversation. Now, when we get really close to home, I’ve started training Millie to walk home. And I guess my reasoning for this is I want her to learn to walk properly on the lead and not stop all the time, but keep going on a mission. And I also want her to know how to get back home in the event that she ever got out of the house for any reason. So, I’m just sort of training her to get to know where our house is. And today, she did really well. She turned straight away at the house, so she knew what she was doing today. I received some very exciting news from my friend Norico. She sent me a message to say that an Australian guy had opened up a cafe right here in Wakayama. And would I like to check it out? Today’s actually our work day. So, we’ve decided to go in there and have lunch on our way to work and check out this Australian guys cafe. I’m so excited to hear that there’s another Aussie living here in Wakayama. And not only that, they’re starting up a business. And of course, I really want to support them in their venture. Get in your car. Oh, you never my car? No. Oh my god. Oh, it’s beautiful. Life is journey. It’s actually the Suzuki. The Suzuki’s motto. Oh, is that right? Yeah. Like they they um made the sticker for their car. Good. And you had that t-shirt. Yes. And I’ve worn your That’s nice. That’s beautiful. Yes. And your car smells really good. So, the cafe is located in Buddha Kurichaw. It was once a bustling arcade, which used to have around 20,000 visitors a day. Now, it only attracts around 4,000 visitors. Currently, efforts are underway to revitalize the area, including support for new businesses and community spaces. I think a lot of grandma for these carrots. Walking through the arcade feels like stepping back in time with its retro signage and a lot of the narrow alleys are lined with various shops. This place would be a photographers’s dream. All right, we are going to turn left. Look, look, look. Okay, it seems like they might be having a little bit of a cat problem around here cuz the sign says don’t feed the cat. So, we looked around the corner. Google Maps was telling me it was down here. And if it wasn’t for the sign, I’d be a little bit nervous about walking down here. But once we got through here, it was starting to get really interesting. There are all of these different posters because it turns out there’s actually a whiskey bar here and also an indie theaters here as well. So, in one of these rooms is actually a theater. And finally, we saw the door. Look at that. Australian specialty coffee oak espresso. How fabulous. We were greeted by B. So, B took on what was an empty abandoned space and transformed it into this fabulous coffee shop all singlehandedly. I was keen to find out about him and his backstory. So, how long have you been in Wakayama? Uh, 2 years now. Just just over 2 years. Why did you pick Wakayama as your spot? I want to buy a farm. It’s too expensive in Australia. Yeah, man. So, you already got the farm? Yeah. Six farms here. Yeah. Yeah. Six farms and a mountain. And a mountain. Wow. Farms and a mountain. Here I am thinking my abandoned house is pretty cool. But you got six farms and a mountain. We only wanted the house. It just ended up having all of that with it. They didn’t want it anymore. Please take the land. What are you growing on the farm? Um, sunshaw. Do you know pepper? Soncho is native to Japan and Korea, by the way. I’m a chef by trade. So Oh, you’re a chef. So you commute here to 45 minutes. It’s not too bad. Depends on the traffic. What made you start a coffee shop? Mr. Coffee from back home. Yo, I don’t know what’s about because of the Sorry, no pressure. Oh, it’s not good. It’s a better I’ll do a better one. All right. All right. I’ll get the next one. Did you make these cups? They’re made in Kimino. I got They’re made in Kim. Yeah. Yeah. Handmade by my friend. Really? Yeah. Really? Cheers. Thank you. Thank you. It’s a bit hot outside. So, not only does Bo have a farm, he’s also raising chickens on the farm, which he’s using in his cooking. And he hopes to incorporate the sunsho, the Japanese pepper, the sunsho pepper into some of the recipes. How did you learn Japanese? I don’t. I um came here. I started working and just listening and copying. So the two years? Yeah. Haven’t started, just worked. So for two years you’ve picked up that much Japanese. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just working. That’s great. Like most Japanese people can actually speak a little bit of English. Shai. No. And I was super impressed by Bo. Not only was the coffee and the food delicious. We’re just impressed with his ability to start up a business in Wakayama from scratch with very little Japanese skill. Very impressive. I’m definitely going to be a regular, I think, at this coffee shop. So, we still have a few hours to kill before we’ve got to go into work, but we thought we’d just check out this theater that we saw. We’re really curious and we weren’t sure if we could open the door or not. It says 10 minutes before on the sign, but we just wanted to sneak peek what actually was inside here. And as you can see, they’ve made a theater inside this small room. So, it’s a very, very personal small theater. I’m pretty sure they’ll be playing indie films there. Now, when we got down the bottom of the stairs, we discovered there was also a whiskey bar. So, back into the arcade and we were thinking it was a bit early to head to work yet. So, we’re just checking out all of the different retro shops and the different startups that are apparently starting up in this area. One of them is this co-working space. It looks so modern compared to all of the other retro things in the area. But how good to draw more young people into the area. And then they’ll be using the coffee shops that are starting up as well. Was it? Now, Noro pointed out this Udon shop. She said it’s a really famous udon shop. Been here for years. So, we made the executive decision, even though we just had cake and coffee, that we’re going to sit down and have lunch before we went into work. I think it’s also important to mention that I always ask permission to film. So, when we walked in the door, I asked the manager, “Is it okay for us to film inside your store?” And would it be also okay for us to film you making the udon? And of course, we got the green light. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be filming this now. It was just mesmerizing watching the chef with the handmade udon. I’ve never seen udon prepared like this before. When I first lived in Japan when I was 18, one of the things that was really famous in my area was actually udon. And my area was known for its sanuki udon. So, I am someone who enjoys a good udon. So, I was stoked that we’re able to come here for lunch before work today. So, for my udon, I got their standard broth and it comes with some shellots and ginger and you can order some vegetables on the side. I ordered reancon, which is lotus root, and it comes deep fried, so it’s sort of like a tempora lotus root. And you can just eat that on the side with your udon. And even though we’re in a very old retro store, they still took my credit card. Things are definitely changing here in Wakayama. This area hosts uh events every second Sunday of the month, which is really helping to lift the community spirit and get people back to using these arcades. And with all of the young people starting new startups, I also want to be someone that is going to support this event and just hope small businesses can thrive in the area once again. Now, I’ve written a blog on this. It’s on my website if you want to get a little bit more information about the Burakuri Chaw Retro Shopping Arcade. It definitely is one of those hidden gems that you know, you don’t know unless you know sort of thing. And if you are visiting my a big day for Millie. Lots of adventures outside. She’s a bit tired now. I’d love to hear what you thought of the cat cam. Do you want to see more of that or not really? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Thanks so much. See you later. Bye.

In this video, join me as I explore the hidden gems of Wakayama, Japan! 🌿 From a cozy Aussie coffee shop tucked away in an old building to unexpected local encounters, this journey showcases the unique and off-the-beaten-path spots of this beautiful region. Plus, don’t miss out on my cat’s adventure as we venture around Wakayama together! 🐾

🔸 Discover the charm of Wakayama: Hidden coffee spots, local stories, and retro arcades.
🔸 Meet an Australian coffee shop owner: A behind-the-scenes look at a one-of-a-kind café experience in Japan.
🔸 Chat with the locals: I meet and have some heartwarming conversations with locals, sharing insights and getting to know their perspectives on life in Wakayama.
🔸 My cat’s perspective: Watch as I share footage of my cat exploring the local area with a camera on her collar, giving you a view from her eyes. 🐱

If you’re curious about life in Japan or just love exploring hidden spots, this video is for you! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more adventures in Wakayama and beyond!

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If you are new to the channel, my name is Chani and I am a middle aged Australian who was stuck in a rut and moved to Japan to live. I bought an Akiya or empty house and started renovating. I’d love it if you subscribed and joined the community.

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