Stylish cafes to dress up for (3/3) Old houses of Japan's good old days
With the recent renewed focus on traditional Japanese culture, old Japanese houses are garnering attention. Old houses transformed into cafes and galleries are popular not only among the Japanese, but among overseas visitors for their uniquely nostalgic and peaceful qualities. For this report, we visited cafes in Tokyo converted from old houses to find out about their specialty sweets.
Dada Cafe,located in a back alley right behind Yoyogi Station, is an old-style Japanese house that is so inconspicuous that you won't be able to find it if you miss the tiny sign in front. Built in 1940 as a kimono shop, the building has been restored to its former charm and features a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.
The garden that stretches out beyond the sun-kissed veranda was made from scratch. The cherry tree, planted upon the opening of the cafe, filters in sunlight, and a view of cherry blossoms in the spring and autumnal leaves in the fall can be enjoyed from the window.
Being able to witness the changing scenery of the four seasons is one of the many delightful features of Japanese houses with gardens.
Spread throughout the cafe, you'll find stationery and collections of photos made by various artists. Also sold here are Bunkobon-Hagaki (paperback book postcard) with which you choose a book based on an excerpt from the book shown on the cover.
The "Chiisana Hankachi-ten" inside the cafe sells handmade
handkerchiefs, coasters, pot covers, and other items.
You can also enjoy lunch at tables set up in the yard. This outdoor dining area is open all year round.
The cafe's specialty dessert is the "Caramel Banana
Cheese Cake" (555 yen, excluding tax), which is rich
and smooth and accented with a salty biscuit crust.
*All the prices are current as of August 2014 and exclude tax.
DADA CAFE
5-23-10 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel.: 03-3350-2245
Business hours: 12:00pm-10:30pm Open 7 days a week
Recommended times: Mon.-Thurs. 3:00pm-5:30pm for coffee time
Credit cards: Not accepted
Access: 2 min. walk from East exit of JR Yoyogi Station
http://www.religare.biz/dadacafe/
*Japanese menu only (some photos) *Japanese-speaking staff only
Located roughly in the middle between JR Ebisu Station and Shirokane-takanawa subway station, Tenement was converted from a 100-year-old tenement (a single building separated on the inside by partition walls). The owner is a musician and not only is he particular about the music played in the cafe, but he also pays attention to the interior including the acoustics.
This tenement escaped destruction from countless natural disasters and air raids. Sandwiched between a western-style restaurant with a
Showa-period ambience and an urban bookstore, Tenement retains its olden-day charm and is a welcoming, "everyday place for relaxation."
CDs and records are sold by the side of the stairs on the 1st floor. The seats are all piano chairs, which is also a reflection of the cafe's concept centered around music.
While the columns and beams on the 2nd floor have been kept in their original form for a retro feel, the stylish designer furniture and high ceiling create a tranquil sense of space.
The special home-made "Jikkasei Cheesecake" comes in five different flavors: plain, black soybean, maccha green tea, blueberry, and chocolate.
The photo is the blueberry cheesecake (463 yen, excluding tax)
Lunch is served until 4:00pm, so it's a place you'd want to drop by if you've missed lunch and you're in the area.
The "Miyazaki Chicken Namban Lunch" (1,019 yen, excluding tax) is made using free range chicken from the owner's hometown of Miyazaki.
*All the prices are current as of August 2014 and exclude tax.
Tenement
2-39-4 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel.: 03-3440-6771
Business hours: 11:30am-10:00pm Open 7 days a week
Recommended times: Weekdays 3:00pm-6:00pm
Credit cards: Accepted
*Only for bills of 5,000 yen or more.
(JCB, Amex, Visa, MasterCard, Diners)
Access: 15 min. walk from East exit of JR Ebisu Station
http://tenement-ebisu.tumblr.com
*English menu available (no photos) *Japanese-speaking staff only
A large blackboard and Japanese red pine mark the location of mois cafe. The cafe occupies both the 1st and 2nd floors of the house which retains its original floorboards and shoe shelf. This cafe has an air of nostalgia and comfort, and makes you feel as if you're visiting a relative's house.
Located in a quiet residential area in an alley just behind the bustling shopping district in front of Shimo-Kitazawa Station, the cafe at first
glance is just "an ordinary old house" which would go unnoticed if not for the blackboard in front. Right next to the entrance is the kitchen
from where the aroma evokes memories of the scent of Japanese home cooking.
Opening the frosted glass in the area on the left-hand side of the 1st floor transforms it into a space where you can relax while enjoying the view of the garden. The black Karimoku sofas lend charm to the room.
On the 2nd floor, the ceiling boards have been removed to expose
the beams and partitions taken out to create one large space.
"Omame Tappuri Curry (bean-filled curry" (787 yen, excluding tax) is a popular item on the lunch menu. As the name suggests, this healthy curry is abundantly filled with three different types of beans.
The "Apple Pie Rare Cheese" (555 yen, excluding tax) comes highly recommended. The blend of cinnamon and brandy which lends it grown-up flair, and the creamy and fluffy texture makes this a superb treat. The "Carrot Oolong Tea"
(740 yen, excluding tax) is specially served in a Nambu cast iron teapot.
*A"Cake Set"(925 yen, excluding tax) is also available with your choice of coffee, tea, or the special Japanese tea of the day.
*All the prices are current as of August 2014 and exclude tax.
mois cafe
2-21-26 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Tel.: 03-3421-1844
Business hours: 12:00pm-11:00pm Open 7 days a week
Recommended times: Weekdays 2:00pm-6:00pm
Credit cards: Accepted (Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Amex, Diners)
Access: 5 min. walk from the South exit of Shimo-Kitazawa Station
on the Odakyu Line.
website :
mois cafe
*English menu available (no photos) *Japanese-speaking staff only
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