Meikyoku kissa: classical music cafes of Tokyo 東京の名曲喫茶

First, a note about language:

• 名曲 meikyoku = a “masterpiece” or a classic piece of music, e.g. Beethoven’s 9th
• 喫茶店 kissaten = coffee shop; generally refers to older coffee shops in Japan, as opposed to chains like Starbucks, Dotour, Excelsior, etc. In conversation, the abbreviated ‘kissa’ can be used.
• 名曲喫茶 = meikyoku kissa = classical music cafe, the topic of this blog post

The map:

The list:

(1) Lion in Shibuya

Name: Meikyoku kissa Lion 名曲喫茶ライオン (website)

Review: Meikyoku kissa 名曲喫茶 II

Location: Google maps (Note:  Lion Cafe is in the middle of Dogenzaka 道玄坂, Shibuya’s famous “Love Hotel Hill”. For more about Love Hotels, see: Sleeping with Hello Kitty: travel sites bring foreigners to Japan’s love hotels)

(2) Violin in Asagaya

Name: Café et Musique Violin / Cafe le Violin / 音楽とコーヒー: ヴ ィ オ ロ ン, or Meikyoku kissa Violin 名曲喫茶 ヴィオロン (website)

Location: near Asagaya Station; see Google Maps

Reviews: (1) Meikyoku kissa 名曲喫茶; (2) A Classical Cafe of Lynchian Appeal

(3) Coffee L’ambre らんぶる (Shinjuku)

Location: Google Maps

(4) Renaissance 名曲喫茶ルネッサンス (Koenji)

Location: Google Maps

Tabelog page

Review: 電波の届かない名曲喫茶、高円寺「ルネッサンス」 Classic music cafe where radio waves can not reach, Koenji “Renaissance”

(5) Baroque クラシック喫茶バロック (Kichijoji)

Location: Google Maps

Tabelog page

(6) Nelken 名曲喫茶ネルケン

Location: Google Maps (this cafe is located very close to House NA, Sou Fujimoto’s glass house)

Tabelog page

From what I can tell, “Nelken” is a German word that means “carnations” / カーネーション

(7) Mignon 名曲喫茶ミニヨン (Ogikubo)

Location: Google Maps (Mignon is just south of Ogikubo station; on the north side of the station is a classic old fruit store)

Website

(8) Denen 名曲喫茶でんえん (Kokobunji)

Location: Google Maps

Tabelog page

Review: 名曲喫茶で手作りレアチーズケーキと珈琲の時間を一人で存分に楽しむ！ Enjoy yourself with the time of handmade rare cheesecake and coffee at famous music cafe!

(9) Chopin 名曲喫茶 ショパン

Location: Google Maps (this is in a fairly residential area)

Tabelog page

(10) Cafe Cadenza 名曲喫茶カデンツァ (Todai / Bunkyo)

Location: Google Maps

Website

Note: this place appears to also have live music from time to time

Links:

• Tokyo’s classical music cafes are time capsules for audiophiles (The Japan Times)
• TOKYO’S MUSIC KISSATENS – A BEGINNER’S GUIDE (Good Coffee)
• 「名曲喫茶」の楽しみ方 How to enjoy “famous music cafe”
• Meikyoku Kohi Mugi: Have breakfast in Tokyo where time has frozen, but the coffee’s hot (The Japan Times)