{"id":164461,"date":"2026-04-02T14:01:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fsmadmin.vsitesting3.com\/magazine\/?p=164461"},"modified":"2026-04-02T17:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:38:25","slug":"japans-kissaten-coffee-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fourseasons.com\/magazine\/food-drink\/japans-kissaten-coffee-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan’s Kissaten Coffee Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Matcha is having its moment, with the appetite for the beverage having grown exponentially outside Japan in recent years.\u00a0Travellers\u00a0looking for matcha and a\u00a0meaningful, meditative cultural practice\u00a0are able to\u00a0immerse themselves through the art of\u00a0chado\u00a0<\/em>(Japanese tea ceremony), deepening their appreciation through an experience that engages the senses on both a physical and a spiritual level. However, for visitors to Japan who\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0find the\u00a0flavour\u00a0of\u00a0matcha to be quite their cup of tea, Japanese coffee\u00a0culture might suit the palate. Inspired by 19th-century Western literary salons, retro-style caf\u00e9s or\u00a0kissatens<\/em>\u00a0invite quiet contemplation through attentive service and nostalgia-inducing\u00a0Sh\u014dwa-era aesthetics often soundtracked by either classical music (meikyoku\u00a0kissa<\/em>) or jazz (jazz\u00a0kissa<\/em>).\u00a0Almost always\u00a0independently owned and\u00a0operated,\u00a0kissatens<\/em>\u00a0are the result of thoughtful and careful curation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are five kissatens<\/em>, each with its own distinctive vibe, to check out the next time you’re in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elevated Elegance <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photograph by Ooki Jingu.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Koffee\u00a0Mameya\u00a0Kakeru<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Tokyo):\u00a0Reservations are\u00a0required\u00a0for this\u00a0truly unique\u00a0coffee establishment, more akin to an omakase tasting menu. Located a 10- to 15-minute drive from Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi<\/a> and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at\u00a0Otemachi<\/a>, it’s housed in a former warehouse and has recently hosted events with coffee growers from Brazil, Panama, and Santa Barbara, California.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vintage Appeal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Monozuki<\/strong>\u00a0(Tokyo):\u00a0Time travel feels possible at\u00a0Monozuki\u00a0(founded in 1975), with its antique clocks that add to the mid-century charm of the venue, which focuses on black coffee.\u00a0Just how old-school is it? Monozuki has no website or Instagram account. You can find it in real life at 3 Chome-12-10 Nishiogikita, Suginami City, Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hip and Moody<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gion Ishi\u00a0Kissaten<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Kyoto):\u00a0<\/strong>Escape the crowds at\u00a0Yasaka\u00a0Shrine and enjoy a cup inside a distinctive Brutalist building that is also home to a jewelry, fossil, and mineral store (five minutes by car from Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto<\/a>). The spot\u2019s 1970s-style decor features impressive cypress-wood wall\u00a0panelling.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considered Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bread, Espresso &\u00a0Arashiyama\u00a0Garden<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Kyoto):\u00a0<\/em>A 210-year-old thatched-roof home takes\u00a0on a new life (with coffee beans roasted on-site) through the vision skillfully executed by the Kimoto Yosuke Architectural Design Room, which was shortlisted for the Sky Design Awards for its work. Patrons can choose from sitting Japanese style (shoes off, at low tables on the floor) or in the Western fashion, both with views of the stunning garden.\u00a0Can’t make it to Kyoto? The cafe just opened its first U.S. outpost, in Redondo Beach, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diner-Chic Charm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iwata Coffee<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Kamakura):\u00a0<\/em>A popular day trip from\u00a0Tokyo, coastal Kamakura is home to Iwata Coffee,\u00a0established\u00a0in 1945. This caf\u00e9 on Komachi Street has a long literary history (and was even visited by John Lennon and Yoko Ono). It specializes in \u201cnel\u00a0drip\u201d coffee, a brewing method invented in Japan that brings out the\u00a0flavour\u00a0of the beans by filtering it through cotton flannel (or \u201cnel\u201d) for a mellow finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Matcha may be Japan’s most popular caffeinated export, but the country’s kissaten coffee experiences offer an appealing alternative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":260,"featured_media":164463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"126719,137835,123493,153151,133244,131158","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1466,1471,1465],"tags":[416,646,1391,935],"class_list":["post-164461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-drink","category-from-the-magazine","category-travel","tag-coffee","tag-japan","tag-kyoto","tag-tokyo","destination-four-seasons-hotel-kyoto","destination-four-seasons-hotel-tokyo","destination-four-seasons-hotel-tokyo-at-otemachi"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nJapan's 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