Located a short car ride from the Shimabara Railway Tahira Station, villa del nido is surrounded by fields, a reminder of the region’s ingredients, water, and climate that Unzen City-born chef Takafumi Yoshida expresses deliciously on the plate. Expressive of the region’s terroir, the restaurant has earned a coveted star.
Chef Yoshida’s training began in Fukuoka, before he went to Italy at the age of 26. As he refined his skills at a starred restaurant, he became attracted to Piedmont cuisine, and understood the relationship between food and landscape. After returning to Japan, in 2015 he opened villa del nido in his hometown, which reopened in October 2019 after a renovation.
The ingredients are predominantly sourced from the Shimabara Peninsula; Yoshida frequently meets with producers to plan his menus, with dishes that can be prepared according to the peak season of ingredients in Shimabara Peninsula presented as the specialty of the season. The fields surrounding the restaurant are made up of aibika, okra, borage, and edible flowers that are naturally grown in the area.
Meanwhile, wines are focused on pairings, with pure wine made naturally from Italy or Japan, as well as seasonal local sakes from local breweries such as Yoshidaya from Minami-Shimabara. For non-alcoholic drinks, homemade fruit sodas made with seasonal ingredients are recommended.
The interiors were designed with the inspiration of dining in a sophisticated forest, in a space close to nature where diners can feel and see the warmth of the trees in the garden. The dinnerware is decorated with pottery made by local craftsmen or Arita-ware.
Rooted in the area, guests can immediately understand the terroir of Shimabara through Yoshida's cuisine, and enjoy the breath of nature with family, friends, or dates.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 15-minute walk from Tahiramachi Station (Shimabara Railway)
