Take a break with a natural food lunch and vegan sweets. A day at "Brown's Field" [A relaxing trip to Minamiboso, Chiba, Vol. 1]

Jun 18, 2017
Minami Boso in Chiba is blessed with abundant nature and the energy of the people who live there. Conveniently located just 90 minutes from central Tokyo, the area has recently been gaining attention as a relocation destination. If you're experiencing the laid-back charm of this area for the first time, start by spending some time relaxing at Brown's Field.

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The terrace seats at Rice Terrace Cafe offer a pleasant breeze. We also recommend the restaurant's hidden loft seating.


Brown's Field, located in Isumi City, Chiba Prefecture, on the charming, retro local line, the Isumi Railway, is the home of macrobiotic cuisine researcher Deco Nakajima and photographer Everett Brown. Gradually, people who share their sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature have gathered here, and it has now become a thriving complex offering a cafe, accommodation, shop, and school. Many fans visit from far and wide, even from overseas.

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Deco Nakajima guided us around Brown's Field. Her trademark deco-maki (decorative wrap) and clip-on wildflower earrings are lovely.


"There are a lot of foreigners living around here. For example, imagine Tokyo is Manhattan. If there was a place with ocean and mountains, clean air, and stargazing within an hour and a half of Manhattan, it would surely be an upscale residential area lined with mansions. But in this area, you can find affordable housing in the midst of untouched nature. Perhaps it's precisely because foreigners have an open mind that they can appreciate the charm of this area."

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Brownsfield employs approximately 10 staff members, including live-in staff. Graduates have used their experience here to pursue careers in a variety of fields, from creative jobs in the city, to traveling abroad, or even living deep in the mountains.


Deco herself lived in Tokyo before moving there in 1999. When she got married and began thinking about having children, she realized, "In order to give birth to a healthy baby, I have to be healthy myself. If what I eat determines who I am, then I have to quickly change my diet and rebuild my body!" This led her to take a serious interest in cooking and practice a brown rice vegetarian diet, which was rare at the time. "The first cooking class I ever attended was macrobiotic, so I still can't fillet a fish properly (laughs)."

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"Weekly Plate (1,200 yen)." Today's menu included mapo tofu, daikon radish soup with coriander sauce, cabbage and soy milk omelet, and in-season bamboo shoot and saxifrage fritters. Plate menu items often sell out early, so reservations are recommended.


"Rice Terrace Cafe" is the place to casually sample Deco's cuisine. They serve brown rice vegetarian lunch plates made with pesticide-free rice harvested from the rice fields on their premises, as well as vegetables and seasonings either homemade or sourced from local producers. The dishes, which are prepared without animal products and bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients, are sure to soothe the mind and body alike, even as they soothe the tension of busy city life.

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The Kiwi Raw Cheesecake (450 yen) is gluten-free and soy-free. Though it's a cheesecake, it's vegan, of course. Violets picked on the premises are pressed and used for decorations.


"At our cafe, we serve food based on macrobiotic principles, but that doesn't mean we advertise it as such. We believe that the most important thing is for our customers to say, 'Oh, by the way, this dish wasn't made with any animal products, but it was still satisfying and delicious,' without being bound by any rules or concepts."


[Shop Information]
Brownsfield (General)
Address: 1501-1 Kuwata, Misaki-cho, Isumi-shi, Chiba Prefecture
Phone: 0470-87-4501

Rice Terrace Cafe
Open: Friday - Sunday, Holidays
Hours: 11:00 - 17:00
http://brownsfield-jp.com

>>Jun Igarashi
  • The entrance to the Rice Terrace Cafe
  • The terrace seats at Rice Terrace Cafe offer a pleasant breeze. We also recommend the hideaway-like loft seats inside the cafe.
  • Nakajima Deco, who guided us around Brown's Field, is a lovely lady with her trademark deco-maki style and wildflower clip-on earrings.
  • Interior of the Rice Terrace Cafe
  • Terrace seats at "Rice Terrace Cafe"
  • Brownsfield employs around 10 staff members, including live-in staff. Graduates have used their experience here to pursue creative careers in the city, travel abroad, or even live deep in the mountains.
  • In consideration of the environment, and to minimize the use of water and detergent when washing dishes, each table at the Rice Terrace Cafe is provided with a cloth to wipe off any grease remaining on dishes.
  • The charming goats are important companions at Brown's Field, feeding on the surrounding weeds.
  • In addition to rice, many other vegetables are grown on the premises.
  • "Weekly Plate (1,200 yen)." The menu for this day included mapo tofu, daikon radish soup with coriander sauce, cabbage soy milk omelet, and fried bamboo shoots and snowdrops, which are in season at the peak of their season. Plate menus often sell out earl
  • The gluten-free and soy-free "Kiwi Raw Cheesecake (450 yen)" is, of course, vegan. The cake is decorated with pressed violets picked on the premises.
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