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Popular 'Beauty Cafe' Renovated to Be More Spacious and Comfortable! Enjoy Healthy Lunches & Sweets at Obihiro's 'rapo cafe'
Nestled in a residential area of Obihiro City, "rapo cafe" is a popular "beauty cafe" known for its wholesome lunches and sweets made with organic, additive-free ingredients. It reopened after renovations in July 2024 and will celebrate its 15th anniversary in March 2025, evolving into a new style of cafe where you can enjoy a total food and lifestyle experience.
A More Comfortable Cafe Space, Now Twice the Size
The spacious cafe area offers everything from counter seats to tables for six.
"rapo cafe" reopened at the end of July 2024 after renovations. The owner, Yuka Sato, made the decision with a specific thought in mind: "We often had to turn away walk-in customers because all our seats were filled with reservations, and I really wanted them to be able to spend time at the cafe since they had made the effort to come."
However, while it was a reopening, the location and concept of the cafe remain the same. The biggest changes are the size and seating capacity! The cafe has nearly doubled in size, going from 15 seats to 28. Along with this, they have started accepting reservations for Saturdays and Sundays, which they previously couldn't do due to concerns about filling up with reservations alone.
The renovation allows for a more spacious experience than before.
A quiet yet warm and comfortable space.
Additionally, the kitchen has been expanded, with the addition of a kitchen board and other features creating a more spacious and efficient workspace. To reduce waiting times and streamline the ordering process, they've introduced a new system where customers scan a QR code to place their own orders. Every detail has been carefully considered to ensure customers can enjoy their cafe time more comfortably.
A Pursuit of Organic, Additive-Free, and Body-Friendly Ingredients
The pesticide-free "Mori no Coffee" (¥550), with a deep flavor from flannel drip brewing.
The cafe's signature coffee uses organic beans from "Mori no Coffee," the No. 1 bestseller at Ginza's Cafe Paulista. This reflects the owner's commitment: "I started carrying it because I wanted to make it easy for people to incorporate things that are organic and good for the body into their daily cafe routine."
Owner Yuka Sato, who is conscious of health and beauty.
In addition, the cafe uses carefully selected ingredients, mainly from Hokkaido, including Yumepirika rice from Hokkaido, flour from Yamamoto Tadanobu Shoten in Tokachi, beet sugar from Hokkaido, and fertilized eggs from Kusanagi Farm in Tokachi. Now, let's introduce some of the actual lunch and cafe menu items!
A Healthy Lunch & Cafe Menu Your Body Will Love
The No. 1 most popular item: "Natural Yeast Snack Waffle" (¥820), chewy yet light.
There are no major changes to the lunch menu, and you can still enjoy popular favorites like the "One Plate Set" (¥1,100), which includes a choice of a waffle or a black soybean rice ball, plus soy milk soup and a salad. Other options include "Fresh Pasta with Tomato Sauce" (¥1,100) and "Fresh Cream Pasta with Soy Milk, Shimeji Mushrooms, and Spinach" (¥1,100). For those who are gluten-free, the "Rice Flour Gnocchi with Soy Milk" (¥980), made with rice flour and Tokachi potatoes, is also recommended.
September's recommended limited-time menu: "Edamame Pasta."
The "Steamed Seasonal Vegetables Set" (¥1,200) lets you enjoy the natural flavors of the ingredients.
The "Steamed Seasonal Vegetables Set" (¥1,200) features chewy black soybean rice, four types of steamed vegetables, and a "Soy Milk Potage" with the gentle sweetness of potato and soy milk balanced with a hint of salt. Despite its simple, natural flavors, it's a satisfyingly delicious meal. The steamed vegetables can be enjoyed with your choice of ponzu, salt, or sesame dressing.
The "Soy Milk Pudding" is drizzled with black sugar syrup and garnished with a refreshing mint leaf.
The "Adult Parfait" (¥700), made with yuzu ice cream, black tea jelly, and white peach syrup.
The gently sweet "Caramel Milk Tea" (¥480).
The New 'omoya' is Born, Featuring a General Store and Cosmetics Shop
'Monotonuno rif,' where you can also purchase tableware and aprons used at rapo cafe.
Furthermore, a new space called 'omoya' has been created at the end of a vaulted corridor behind the cafe! It houses the cosmetics shop 'rapo rapo' and the general store 'Monotonuno rif.' The general store, 'Monotonuno rif,' is run by Mariya Sato, the daughter of 'rapo cafe' owner Yuka Sato, and it carries a curated selection of ceramics, clothing, and miscellaneous goods. These items, perfect for enriching daily life, make wonderful gifts for yourself or others.
A collection of wonderful items that value sight, touch, and texture.
The wooden walkway leading to 'omoya'.
The newly renovated 'rapo cafe' is now even more comfortable. It's a place where you can relax on your own, and there are also large tables that can accommodate bigger groups (up to about 6 people). For a little treat for yourself, why not spend some wonderful cafe time here?
*All prices include tax.
rapo cafe
■Address: 2-11 Nishi 11-jo Minami 17-chome, Obihiro City
■Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
*Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 11:30 AM – 5:00 PM
■Closed: Irregular holidays (check the website for closure dates)
Click here for more details and a map of 'rapo cafe'
Writer Profile
Deer Girl / Editor Maya Nakamura
Born in Miyagi Prefecture. She transitioned from being an editor at a gourmet media company to a hunter. Affectionately known as "Maya-mon the Deer Girl," her motto is to savor life respectfully. She handles the entire process from hunting deer to butchering the meat. She is also active as a freelance editor, working on logo and pamphlet design, writing, and event planning.
