After gaining cooking experience in Kyoto, owner-chef Mr. Mishima opened his own restaurant in Kyotango, his wife's hometown. They offer homemade European-style cuisine, including weekday lunch courses where you can choose your main course, and one-plate lunches for 1,100 yen.

Another appeal of this place is that you can read a variety of picture books lined up on the window sills, such as ``The Big Tree,'' ``The Cat Who Lived a Million Times,'' and ``The Traveling Boat.''

In fact, Mr. Mishima loves picture books so much that he has considered opening a picture book specialty store since he was a teenager. If you reread a favorite book you read as a child, you'll be sure to find new inspiration.