A Holiday Made in Miyakojima: Staying with an Island Kitchen by Miele

When every meal on a trip is taken outside, the day on the island can become a little busy.

You head out to a restaurant at the reserved time, leaving the table while keeping an eye on the pace of children or older family members. The better the meal, the more you tend to notice the clock.

At the center of Nagine’s living space is an island kitchen with a Miele dishwasher. There is a 3-burner IH cooktop, a Miele oven microwave, a large freezer-refrigerator, a Nespresso machine, an electric kettle, and a rice cooker. Whether you dine out or stay in, the choice is yours.

An island kitchen at the heart of the room

At Nagine, the kitchen is placed not along a wall, but in the center of the living and dining area.

It is the place people pass through most often during a stay. A kitchen facing the wall and a kitchen standing in the middle of the room create very different rhythms, even when the cooking is the same.

No one has their back to the room

With a wall-mounted kitchen, the person preparing food is always facing the wall. Conversation tends to happen over a shoulder, and the work often falls to one person alone.

With an island kitchen, you face people while you work. You can pass a dish across the counter, have a drink poured for you, and continue the conversation without breaking it. As the roles of cutting, washing, and arranging shift from one person to another, the preparation itself becomes part of the table.

On the first day of a trip, no one quite knows where everything has been placed, but because work happens in a shared, visible space, there is less searching around.

There is ample counter space

The island counter is wide enough for several people to work side by side without getting in each other’s way.

There is room for cutting, plating, and setting down drinks at the same time. You can place your grocery bags there the moment you return, and once the meal is ready, the counter becomes a serving station.

On the counter side, we have placed stools. Morning coffee, a light lunch, an evening drink—there are times when you can simply take care of things here, even if everyone is not gathered at the dining table.

From where you stand, you can see outside

From the kitchen, the living area is in full view. Beyond the large windows are the terrace and the pool.

You can continue preparing food while listening to children playing in the pool, then carry the dishes straight out to the table outside. No one preparing the meal is left alone at the back of the room.

In the late afternoon, the light on the counter changes little by little. There are days when it feels right to begin dinner not by the clock, but by the light.

Shaping a day around the island’s ingredients

Morning | Whoever wakes first goes to the kitchen

In the morning, those who wake first head to the kitchen. Coffee is made with the Nespresso machine, while tea drinkers boil water in the electric kettle.

Yonaha Maehama Beach is about a 5-minute walk away. By the time you return from a quiet walk along the sand, someone may already have turned on the rice cooker. Some mornings are rice and miso soup; others are just bread warmed again in the oven and fruit cut into pieces.

There is no need for everyone to wake at the same time. Whoever eats first puts their cup in the dishwasher, and whoever wakes next makes the coffee. Each person’s morning passes through the same kitchen.

Midday | Days you eat out, days you stay in

At lunch, you might go out to a local diner for Miyako soba. On days after time at the sea, you can keep things simple with groceries or prepared dishes you picked up earlier.

On days when children are napping, there is no need to force an outing; you can eat lightly at the counter. There is no need to decide in advance. You can choose based on the previous evening’s plans or how tired you feel that day.

Afternoon | During the strongest sun, stay inside

During the day on Miyakojima, the sun is strong, and for a few hours after noon it is often more comfortable to stay in than to walk around outside.

Use ice from the freezer to make a cold drink, and cut fruit to take poolside. Some guests chill their Nespresso over ice, while others nap on the indoor sofa.

Because there is a large freezer-refrigerator, drinks and fruit can be chilled in advance. If you stock up on arrival day, there is no need to head out again during the hottest hours.

Twilight | Cook, then carry it to the terrace

As the sunlight softens, it is time to begin preparing dinner. Sashimi from nearby waters, island vegetables grilled with care, and Miyako beef on the 3-burner IH cooktop.

With three burners, you can cook a pot, stir-fry, and boil water all at once. While fish and vegetables finish in the oven, you can complete the appetizers at the counter. Even on days with more people, the cooking does not have to happen in a single line.

Pots and pans, knives and cutting boards, cutlery, and tableware are provided in quantities sufficient for a table of up to 9 guests. There is no need to bring extra utensils with your groceries.

An electric BBQ grill is available as a paid option (5,000 yen). Because charcoal and fire-starting are not required, it can be used whenever the mood strikes you (ingredients should be prepared by guests).

Without being bound to a reserved dinner time, you can begin eating in step with the pace of the sunset.

Night | Let the dishwasher take care of the cleanup

After the meal, the dishes go into the Miele dishwasher. Even on a day when 9 people have gathered around the table, it is enough to load everything together.

No one needs to remain in the kitchen, and everyone can return to the terrace or the living room. Cleanup does not have to finish before you rest; it can finish while you are already resting.

Dim the lights a little and look up at the night sky from the terrace. The next morning begins with returning the dry dishes to the shelves.

Do your grocery shopping on arrival

Within driving distance, you will find supermarkets, convenience stores, and drugstores. Miyako beef, fresh seafood, island vegetables, seasonal fruit. Stopping by at the start of your trip makes the days that follow feel lighter.

Because there is a large freezer-refrigerator, if you buy everything on arrival day, you will not need to go out repeatedly during your stay. The time you might have spent shopping can instead go to the sea or the pool.

For store locations and opening hours, please contact us or check the guest portal after booking.

The longer the stay, the more the kitchen comes into use

On trips with three generations, everyone eats at different times and in different amounts. You may want to feed small children first, warm baby food, or let only the early risers eat ahead of time. Being free from restaurant hours can be more restful than you might expect.

The same is true for stays of several days or for workation trips. If every meal is eaten out, a trip slowly becomes tiring.

Nagine’s kitchen is not designed solely as a space for full self-catering. It is arranged so that when you feel like cooking, you can begin without having to search for tools.

Time spent cooking is part of the holiday too

Rather than filling the itinerary with sightseeing, you can arrange ingredients found on the island, plate them, and eat on the terrace.

No elaborate cooking is needed. One person is moving their hands while another is talking beside them. In a villa rented as a whole house, time like this becomes possible.

Nagine is limited to one group per day. The kitchen, pool, and terrace are all yours during your stay.

Near Yonaha Maehama Beach, cook, eat, and clean up in your own rhythm. We hope your holiday includes the full pleasure of that sequence.

Kitchen equipment and tableware

These are the kitchen facilities and items available for use during your stay.

Cooking appliances

• Island kitchen (with Miele dishwasher)
• IH cooktop (3 burners)
• Oven microwave (Miele)
• Large freezer-refrigerator
• Nespresso machine
• Electric kettle
• Rice cooker

There is no toaster provided. Seasonings include salt, pepper, and oil. Please bring any other items you need. Instructions for each appliance are available in the guest portal after booking.

Cooking utensils

Pots and pans of different depths and sizes, including detachable-handle types, stainless steel bowls, two cutting boards, and knives.

Cutlery

Forks, knives, small and large spoons, and chopsticks. Each type is stocked in quantities sufficient for up to 9 guests and stored in separate drawers.

Tableware

Large and small plates, deep bowls, and square dishes. Kept in calm gray tones, they suit both Japanese and Western dishes.