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Paying pilgrimage to the last <i>kissaten</i> on the Kumano Kodo trail

Food & Drink Aug 7, 2021

Paying pilgrimage to the last kissaten on the Kumano Kodo trail

by Craig Mod

Writer Craig Mod takes inventory of the coffee shops that are left alongside the old roads of the Ohechi Kumano Kodo UNESCO World Heritage routes.

Japanese-style coffee is rooted in the local <i>kissaten</i>, but its reach is global

Food & Drink Jul 31, 2021

Japanese-style coffee is rooted in the local kissaten, but its reach is global

by Spencer Cohen

Brew methods and tools connected with Japan’s local coffee shops have held an outsize influence on specialty coffee, permeating third-wave coffee shops and home setups around the world.

A ‘new wind is blowing’ for Japan’s coffee culture

Food & Drink Jan 10, 2021

A ‘new wind is blowing’ for Japan’s coffee culture

by Spencer Cohen and Tommaso Barbetta

Japan’s kissaten and coffee shops are no strangers to social change. COVID-19 is pushing both shops and their customers into digital-driven habits.

Portals of the past: Peering into Tokyo's traditional <em>kissaten</em> coffee shops

Food & Drink Nov 2, 2019

Portals of the past: Peering into Tokyo's traditional kissaten coffee shops

by Russell Thomas

"Sorry, we're full," I hear someone say as I open the door to Ladrio, a pre-eminent kissaten (traditional coffee shop) situated in a tumbledown alley in Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood. Ladrio is located in a tumbledown alley in Tokyo's Jimbocho neighborhood. | RIKO MONMA I'm naturally disappointed ...

Vaughan Allison: Transforming nonessentials into essentials

People | 20 QUESTIONS Apr 13, 2019

Vaughan Allison: Transforming nonessentials into essentials

by Claire Williamson

Vaughan Allison on why his blood is black, his best concert memory and the most underrated area in Tokyo.

Farewell Mary Jane: Grieving for a lost jazz hideout

Music | Sound Off Nov 29, 2018

Farewell Mary Jane: Grieving for a lost jazz hideout

by James Catchpole

The late Donald Richie, a legendary chronicler of 20th century Japan, once said that to accept life in Tokyo, you must embrace constant change and not give in to nostalgia. In the 60 years he lived in this great city he saw multiple transformations ...

The long pour: Tokyo Coffee Festival rounds up specialty coffee from across Japan

Food & Drink Apr 21, 2018

The long pour: Tokyo Coffee Festival rounds up specialty coffee from across Japan

by Claire Williamson

Japanese coffee shops are more international than ever, yet manage to preserve a unique sense of kodawari, an uncompromising dedication to the craft.

Tokyo's classical music cafes are time capsules for audiophiles

Food & Drink | KNOWING KISSATEN Mar 24, 2017

Tokyo's classical music cafes are time capsules for audiophiles

by James Hadfield

In this age of musical abundance, it's hard to fathom that an LP once cost the equivalent of a few days' wages in Japan. In the 1950s, audiophiles who couldn't afford to buy their own music did their listening at coffee shops known as ...

Tokyo's retro coffee palaces are in a class entirely their own

Food & Drink | KNOWING KISSATEN Feb 24, 2017

Tokyo's retro coffee palaces are in a class entirely their own

by James Hadfield

The archetypical kissaten (traditional coffee shop) would probably be a cozy neighborhood joint with faded '60s decor, one of those vintage pink pay phones that only take ¥10 coins and a couple of elderly customers smoking furiously as they squint over their newspapers. If you ...

Chatei Hatou: A pilgrimage site for traditional coffee

Food & Drink | KNOWING KISSATEN Jan 27, 2017

Chatei Hatou: A pilgrimage site for traditional coffee

by James Hadfield

When Starbucks arrived in Japan in 1996, it should have spelled trouble for Doutor, the dowdy coffee chain that had dominated the market since the 1980s. In fact, the opposite happened: by cultivating demand for gourmet coffee, Starbucks actually revived the fortunes of its ...

Suzuya: one of the old capital's oldest coffee shops

Food & Drink | KYOTO RESTAURANTS Jan 13, 2017

Suzuya: one of the old capital's oldest coffee shops

by J.J. O'Donoghue

Last year, Suzuya celebrated its 70th anniversary, making it one of the oldest kissaten (traditional coffee shops) in Kyoto. To the best of my knowledge, only Salon de The Francois — which opened in the interwar period — pips it for longevity. From outside, it's ...

Have breakfast in Tokyo where time has frozen, but the coffee's hot

Food & Drink | EARLY START Jan 6, 2017

Have breakfast in Tokyo where time has frozen, but the coffee's hot

by Yukari Sakamoto

Visiting one of Japan traditional coffee shops, known as kissaten, is a unique way to start to the day. For breakfast, many kissaten offer a "morning service," which includes coffee and a small meal — often with toast, some meat, an egg and a salad. ...

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