Villa AiDA

While the majority of Japanese people live in big urban metropolises, some crave an escape to the country instead. For some people, wide open space and harmony with the environment are clear winners over a life in a concrete jungle. These are the themes at Villa AiDA, an Italian restaurant in Iwade, Wakayama. The detached building which houses it offers a sense of space and freedom that just isn’t possible in the cramped eateries of Tokyo. The couple who run the restaurant value freshness so much that they grow much of the herbs and vegetables for the dishes at their own small farm next door. Their fish, game, and other vegetables are sourced from friends and connections in the local area. Chef Kobayashi believes that same-day harvested produce has a special taste unlike anything else. When you try his classic Italian cooking — mastered during his time in Italy in his youth — you’re surely agree. Treat yourself to a respite from the big city, and let the Kobayashis introduce you to the best that their little pocket of the idyllic Japanese countryside has to offer.