IL VENTO IS THE COOLEST CAFE

il vento was an excellent surprise. imagine i was on a far away island in japan’s inland sea. imagine quaint burnt wood houses and lots of colourful flowers, a little marina and the quiet sea. and then imagine the least probable kind of place to have breakfast in.

it was a cafe/restaurant so interesting and modern that it could have been in any of this planet’s most cosmopolitan cities.

so, it turns out that the kaleidoscope place i found was actually a work of art. wait…what? yes, it was a work of art by tobias rehberger, as part of the ongoing setouchi triennale. its alternative art name is was du liebst, bringt dich auch zum weinen (what you like makes you cry).

in 2009, in berlin, i saw a similar thing he did. it was an illy pop up in the middle of the local shopping shrine, kadewe.

the menu was very interesting as well. beside the ground floor and 1st floor space, there’s also a little patio, with a long table sitting plenty of guests and a blossoming orange tree. and all of it is one single mesmerizing optical illusion. the stuff of dreams, i’m telling you!

researching the topic, i found some info on a nearby sibling dormitory. the rate is of 35,000 yen/2 persons/night. that would be approximately 278 euro. that will get you accommodation in a fully redecorated traditional house. i’m amazed how such a tiny island can hold such delightful places!

ps: if you make it to teshima in 2013, these are the artworks that are part of the triennale. they include il vento as well as the meta museum that brought me to the island in the first place: teshima art museum. click here to check it. and click here for a map/guide to the area.