Run by a charming multilingual couple — Japanese, English and French are spoken — this cafe with great old wooden beams is the most welcoming spot on Koya-san for a slow coffee and a slice of tofu cheesecake or chocolate cake. The daily vegetarian lunch sets are made with organic ingredients and disappear early, so arrive before the crowds. The space doubles as a gallery of local pottery, and the atmosphere is the antithesis of the austere temple aesthetic — warm, creative and gently bohemian.