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Dine With Locals in Japan at a Beautiful Countryside Cafe: Eagle 137

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If this is your first time stumbling upon our blog, you may not know that Crystal and I grew up in Japan. I (Candy) attended public school in Japan (not an international school), so whenever I go home to visit I like to meet up with my friends from middle school and high school.

This year when I returned home, I was looking forward to visiting my best friend from high school, Asami. In high school, where Asami and I first met, we immediately clicked and spent a lot of time together both in and out of class. We spent quite a bit of time at the karaoke boxes after school and even sang together at our school’s bunkasai 文化祭 (cultural festival). Asami is super smart and driven, so when she told me that she opened her own cafe I was so excited for her.

We took this photo before we went on stage for the school’s Bunkasai

candy & Asami circa 1998

Asami’s cafe, Eagle 137, is located in Kashiwa and it’s not your average tourist spot. Actually, it’s not touristy at all as it’s where the locals go to unwind, relax, and eat delicious local ingredients. My family and I decided to have breakfast at Eagle 137 and we were all so pleased with the atmosphere and dining experience. The menu at Eagle 137 is constantly evolving as it accommodates seasonal produce, so the dishes we ordered may be different from what you may have, but there is no question that it will be fresh and delicious.

When the weather warms up, all the brown you see will be a bright green

Parking lot entrance to Eagle 137

These stairs lead up to Eagle 137

Atmosphere

Our father drove the family to Eagle 137, so we didn’t have to utilize public transportation. When we approached the parking lot at 9:30AM we were surprised to see the parking lot already full of cars. They open at 9AM and already the place was filled with customers. Luckily, I had already been corresponding with my friend so she had set aside a table for my family to dine inside. It would have been great to sit outside to enjoy the views but the weather was unusually cold on this day. Although, we did see a lot of customers bundled up and sitting outside.

Asami hard at work

Indoor Dining

The space is fairly tight indoors, but it has so much charm. There are 4 tabletops that can seat 12 people and also about 8 seats along the window. We loved the seating area along the window where you can dine and enjoy the views outdoors of the farmlands. They even placed a handful of binoculars which we thought was such a unique touch.

So many yummy options on the menu

Binoculars for the indoor diners

Crystal & Mom looking out to Lake Teganuma

Outdoor Terrace

There is also a huge terrace for dining outdoors that overlooks Lake Teganuma. When the weather is warmer, sitting outside is definitely a better option as the views of countryside Japan is beautiful. There is also a huge cherry blossom tree which was slightly blooming when we were there. I can only imagine how beautiful the terrace must be when the cherry blossoms and other plants are fully bloomed.

Walking out to the terrace dining area

Outdoor dining on the terrace

Seating under the Cherry Blossom tree

Plenty of seating outdoors

Breakfast

Western Style Morning Set

I absolutely enjoyed my breakfast. The egg was cooked to perfection, the salad was crisp and fresh, and the roll from the local bakery was soft and warm. Everything on the plate was flavorful and it left me wanting more. I’m a huge fan of plates that have a little bit of everything.

Western Style Morning Set

French Toast Set

Crystal loves french toast and even better when it’s not so sweet, which was exactly how this one was. The bread was moist, yet had a crispy outer layer which was a perfect combination for the sweet syrup. I had to have a bite of the french toast and agree that I prefer a fluffy less sweet french toast over a soggy and dense concoction. When french toast is done right, there is no need for the powdered sugar and mounds of maple syrup.

French Toast Set


Beverages

We also ordered hot beverages with all our meals and we loved their attention to detail. All the mugs were sitting in a pot that was gently heated by an old-fashioned stove. The stove had a dual purpose and was also keeping the room nice and toasty.

Mugs being warmed up on the stove

Seasonal Dessert Specials

Strawberry Season

We were visiting at the peak of strawberry season, so we couldn’t leave without a taste of their various desserts. There were so many to choose from and they all looked so delicious that we ordered a handful of them. One of the main things that stood out about the desserts was the whipping cream. We aren’t huge fans of cake icing as it’s usually way too sweet and dense for us. The whipping cream at Eagle 137 was the exact opposite of that, so we had to ask why it was so airy and fresh. They prepare the cream from scratch and use pure whipping cream from the region of Hokkaido. Hokkaido is known for their high quality dairy products, so it’s no surprise the cream was delicious but the fact that it was pure meant that it did not contain any thickening agents.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Chiffon Cake

Princess Strawberry Parfait

Strawberry Panbee Cake

The strawberries were super fresh as they were just picked from the farm next door to the cafe. We’ve both never had strawberries that were so sweet and juicy. The texture was so different from the strawberries we were used to eating. We couldn’t believe there was no added sugar because they tasted like sugar had been sprinkled all over them.

our niece, Lyla, loved the Strawberry Princess Parfait

The cakes were also light and was made with Kashiwa’s own premium rice flour. We love that everything we had was from the local region with the exception of the cream.

Final Thoughts

outdoor seating area

I wish I lived closer so that I could stop by more frequently. I would love to try their lunch options or even their barbecue entrees. I love that the terrace area is pet friendly and there is also an array of events that Eagle 137 hosts on-site. My parents thoroughly enjoyed their meal and fell in love with the atmosphere and made plans to visit with their little chihuahua, Tiva, next time.

Getting There

Although we drove to Eagle 137, you can certainly get there by train. You’ll want to hop on the JR Line and get off at Kashiwa Station. Once you get off at Kashiwa Station, there are a few options to getting to the cafe:

  • You can ride the bus that runs free on the weekends

  • Rent a bicycle (we saw quite a bit of cyclists around the area when we were driving there)

  • Or you can go the old fashion way and walk, which would take about 30-40 minutes

For further details, you can go to Eagle 137’s webpage where they have videos of how to get there. You can also contact Eagle 137 should you need further assistance and directions.

Group pic with the family and Asami

EAGLE 137
@ eagle137_by_w.w

ADDRESS: 137 Washinoya, Kashiwa, Chiba, 270-1443 JAPAN
HOURS: FRIDAY - SUN 9AM - 4PM
PHONE: (+81) 080-3158-0137
EMAIL: info.washinoyawoodman@gmail.com

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