Cafe
Tokyo’s coffee scene has a rich history that can be relived at kissaten. These traditional Japanese coffee houses tend to be dark and some can be smoky, as many still permit smoking. Café de l’Ambre, opened in 1948, is one of Tokyo’s most famous kissaten. The café’s 101-year old patriarch, Ichiro Sekiguchi, is often in-house. If he’s not roasting beans, he can be seen perusing coffee bean catalogs. The roasting room is in front of the shop, with a counter and a few tables to the side. Jars of coffee beans line the walls. The menu lists coffee by origin of bean. Some of the beans are aged by Sekiguchi-san and his staff and are designated on the menu. The staff is friendly and a few speak some English. Definitely worth lingering if you love coffee. Note: While the address is Ginza, the shop is closer to Shinbashi Station.
