Back at Kurochaya after 17 years, for an autumn lunch
Seventeen years after her last visit, Haruru returned to Kurochaya in Musashi-Itsukaichi for lunch with friends from school. In her November 2022 account, the autumn leaves and the meal both made the visit memorable.
From haruru.1002’s account shared in November 2022, edited with permission.
A familiar name, in autumn colours
Haruru had come with classmates from her junior-high and high-school years. It had been 17 years since her previous visit to Kurochaya.
Her photographs show the 黒茶屋 sign at the gate, red leaves along the approach and yellow foliage above a river. She described the leaves as being at their best on that visit.
A lunch she enjoyed throughout
The meal was a pleasure for her from beginning to end. The photographs include small dishes arranged in a basket, a sashimi plate and fish and vegetables over a tabletop grill.
There are also photographs of tempura, a bowl of rice and a sweet with strawberries. Haruru’s own account sums up the meal simply: she found everything delicious.
A warm day and a meal that suited her
It was warm enough that day for her to go without a jacket. The visit brought together school friends, autumn scenery and a meal at a place she had not visited for many years.
She also reflected that this kind of food had begun to feel more right for her as she grew older. That personal feeling is part of what she remembered about returning to Kurochaya.
Sources for this account
Haruru’s return to 黒茶屋 in Musashi-Itsukaichi, described in her account shared on 12 November 2022. The gate and meal photographs also show the shop’s name.