Kissaten

A kissaten (喫茶店), literally a "tea-drinking shop", is a Japanese-style tearoom that is also a coffee shop. They developed in the early 20th century as a distinction form a café, as cafés had become places also serving alcohol with noise and celebration. A kissaten was a quiet place to drink coffee and gathering places for writers and intellectuals.

A kissaten in Jinbōchō, Tokyo, Japan

In urban areas, people frequent kissaten for breakfast where they might have "morning service" of thick toast, boiled or fried eggs, a piece of ham or bacon, and a cup of tea or coffee.

There is also the modern phenomenon of the manga kissa, which is a version of the kissaten but with video games, manga and vending machines instead of coffee.

See also

• Manga cafe
• Cosplay restaurant

References

• Merry White (May 2012). Coffee Life in Japan. University of California Press. pp. 77–. ISBN 978-0-520-25933-1.