It's morning in Muroran. Leaving the British Hall, I head up to Sokuryo Mountain. My destination is this café that has been energetically open since 8 am. The interior is decorated with lighthouses, lures, boats, and other sea-related items, with lively background music like Nini Rosso's "Il Silenzio." The view from the window overlooks the Uchiura Bay, creating a quiet and moody atmosphere. The master, who handles everything alone, provides attentive and friendly service. There are four regular customers enjoying their morning, reading newspapers or chatting with the master. The café allows smoking, but the ventilation is not great, making the air a bit stuffy. I ordered the "Cheesecake Set" (600 yen), which was a slightly cheap-tasting cheesecake, possibly store-bought, with a mild cheese flavor and a sweet cake. The iced coffee, although pre-brewed, had a well-balanced bitterness and acidity, complementing the cake well. My companion ordered an "Iced Coffee" (400 yen), which came with two coconut cookies and a lovely view from the window. It seemed cozy for smokers, but I decided to leave. Thank you, Café Sokuryo Mountain.

Located halfway up a small mountain with an elevation of less than 200 meters is a cafe called "British Pavilion," which has also been used as a filming location. It is about a 15-minute walk up the hill next to the cafe. The interior of the cafe has a mountain hut-like atmosphere with a chimney stove, and the owner's collection of Western antiques, airplane models, yacht models, fly-fishing gear, telescopes, motorcycles, etc., are displayed throughout. Some may find it enjoyable to look at, while others may find it a bit unsettling (laughs). Since I hadn't had breakfast yet, I ordered the "Morning Service" (480 yen) with coffee. The master was running the cafe alone, so it took about 10 minutes to serve. The set included a thick slice of buttered toast, a fried egg, salad, and coffee. I wanted to eat the fried egg with salt and pepper, but as expected, it was served with soy sauce, so I nibbled on the toast with soy sauce egg. The freshly brewed coffee had a good aroma and tasted delicious. After a while, some elderly regulars who seemed to be locals arrived and made a lot of noise, so I paid and left.

I walked quite a bit up the hill in Sawacho from Muroran Station. There were small alleys like a maze, and I got lost. After about 30 minutes, I saw a house with a sign that read "Cafe Sokuzaan." Despite being short on time, I decided to go in. An elderly man seemed to be the owner. I ordered coffee and read the newspaper. The coffee was just average. Since I was short on time, I didn't stay long. Most of the customers seemed to be elderly. On the way back, I walked down the hill and made my way back to Muroran Station from Makunishi-cho. It was good exercise.

I discovered a café in a rare place. It's recommended to visit on a sunny day because the view is beautiful. The interior of the café is stylish with various decorations like ornaments. I ordered cheesecake and coffee, and they were delicious, so I want to eat them again. They also had pasta on the menu, so I went back another day to try it. I think they had a variety of menu options. I would like to visit this café again when I take a walk around Sokuryo Mountain.

Until the snow starts falling, I use this cafe on my walks. The cafe has a counter and table seating, and if you want a view, I recommend the table seating. You can enjoy views of the Measuring Mountain (leaning forward feeling), Muroran Port, and the cluster of factories. You can also see the colorful roofs scattered on the steep slopes and the birds such as white-eyes up close in the migratory season on the tree right in front. The owner seems to like birds as there are bird-themed ornaments inside the cafe. I recommend the morning set with perfectly cooked sunny-side-up eggs. In the summer, try the iced coffee to cool your throat. The menu mainly consists of classic coffee options for adults who love coffee. It's great to have a cafe in this location. You can easily spot the cafe from the top of the hill after coming down from the Measuring Mountain observation deck, turning left at the fork to Seimizu-cho and Sawacho, and taking the first uphill road where you can see the sign.

It's about a 15-minute walk from Muroran Prince Hotel in the bustling central area of Muroran. When you go up the hill from Maku-nishi and reach the top, you will find Cafe Sokuryozan. It's a nice distance for a walk, and there is parking space for about 3 cars. Inside the shop, there is a counter, and through the window next to it, you can catch a glimpse of Sokuryozan and the harbor. They used to have curry rice sets, but it seems like they don't anymore. They probably make delicious coffee using a cloth filter. The customers seem to be mostly elderly people. Why not stop by on your way back from visiting Sokuryozan?