Cafes are places where people get together to chat, meet for business, or leisurely spend some time alone. Naturally, different countries have different styles of cafes. In Japan, coffee came from the West in the Edo era (1603-1868), and since the advent of the first cafes in Tokyo in the Meiji era (1868-1912) cafes have expanded and become more sophisticated. These cafes, called kissaten, still nurture a unique coffee culture today.

Service that the Owner is Particular About

Unlike the self-service cafes you often see in Japan today, where you order at the counter and take your drink to your seat, in a kissaten a server takes your order and brings your drink and food to your table. In most kissaten, when you take your seat a server brings you cold water and a small towel for wiping your hands. There's also shops that change the towel, called an oshibori, from cold in the summer to hot in the winter. When the weather is hot, a chilled towel is really nice, and a warm towel in winter heats your numbed hands. This effortless service before drinking coffee helps you to relax.

Many kissaten are run by a single owner, whose preferences shape the shop's characteristics. There are shops that select beans carefully so that the beans characteristics are brought out to the full, and pursue rich taste and aroma with an original roasting machine for a perfect cup of coffee, and shops that bring green tea after you've finished your coffee.

Evolving to be a Place that Provides Music too

The oldest kissaten in Japan still in operation is Cafe Paulista in the Ginza district of Tokyo that opened in 1911. Then, it was popular as a shop that served coffee, and is the grandfather of kissaten where anyone can relax in a friendly atmosphere. The author of the novel used for Director Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and other literary figures were regular customers, and it was then a spot for cultural activities.

The kissaten that have been familiar to Japanese for more than 100 years, often provide something along with your coffee.

As examples, kissaten as a place to enjoy classical music or Jazz. They prospered in the 60s and 70s and are still popular today.

They provide music for people to enjoy, and have quality audio equipment and large collections of records or CDs to create an environment where you can hear music with high-quality sound while drinking your coffee. Most shops let you request your favorite song, so you can listen to a song you like. Some kissaten prohibit loud talking or the use of cell phones to keep the proper atmosphere for enjoying high-quality music, so please be careful.

These kissaten may look old from the outside and seem difficult to enter. But, there's no need for special musical knowledge, and recently many women visit them alone. You can enjoy a luxurious time listening to high-quality music while enjoying your coffee.

For 100 kissaten there's 100 flavors of coffee and preferences of the shop's owner. How about finding your favorite kissaten when you visit Japan?