Renting a car provides you with so much freedom while touring Japan, and with that often comes pleasant surprises. Although we typically carefully plan out our schedules in order to be most efficient with our time, now and then we stumble upon something that stops us in our tracks and we say “Forget the schedule!”
When recently in Kobe, we rented a car so that we could explore Awaji Island on the other side of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (about which you can watch a video by clicking here). We had several stops planned for the day on Awaji Island, but as we rounded a corner while driving along the coast admiring the crystal turquoise blue waters, we came upon a street scene that had flavors of the French Riviera or Caribbean.
Just a few seconds further and we were suddenly passing by more than a dozen brightly colored shipping containers, all sitting on the edge of the sea. Realizing it was something special, we quickly pulled into the parking lot across the road, and went exploring. As it turns out, it was the Awaji Chef’s Garden, a concentration of some 15 shipping containers, all of which had been converted into food stalls featuring different cuisines from around the world! There was of course Japanese, then American hamburgers, Mexican tacos, Chinese dumplings, and so on.
Each one had a walk up window and a few had some limited indoor seating. But who wants to sit inside when you can look out over the expansive waters of the ocean with waves crashing below your feet. The outdoor spaces had covered awnings and various levels of seating such that there wasn’t a bad view in the place.
The houses at the other end were brightly colored in pastels that perfectly complimented the azure blue water, and had it not been for the language and that everyone except us were Japanese, you’d have thought we were on the Mediterranean or a Caribbean seaside resort. In addition to the dining, there are shops along “Lady Bird Lane”. It was simply a shock to the senses, and we had the most wonderful time!
This was totally unexpected, and threw off our schedule a bit, but who cares?! So we ordered burgers (had a hankering for a taste of home) and enjoyed them overlooking the sea as a three masted boat sailed past. This was one of those off the beaten path places in Japan for which we seek each time we’re there. Being the only Western tourists, made us feel all the more special as we thought about the many tourists packed in together back in Tokyo and Osaka. They can have the crowds and noise. We’ll take this serene setting any day! So if you’re coming to Japan, and have a little extra time, be sure to make your way to Kobe, then drive over to Awaji Island and experience what we experienced at the Awaji Chef’s Garden!
