Tokyo Coffee Series: Exploring Kiyosumi Shirakawa
Curated by Hypemaps Team
For our continued coffee series, we explore one of the most coffee-centric areas of Tokyo you may not have heard of: Kiyosumi Shirakawa. Outside of central Tokyo is Kiyosumi Shirakawa, in the outlying city of Koto. While Kiyosumi is largely residential and industrial in atmosphere, a large group of coffee brands, shops and distilleries have made their homes in the more-traditional city outside of the touristy areas. The historical region consistently provides high-quality cafe offerings and is growing more and more each day with new additions, bestowing upon Kiyosumi Shirakawa the fitting nickname the unofficial "coffee town" of Tokyo.
World renowned and artisan-respected, Allpress Espresso has made its mark in the community as one of the highest quality roasters in the coffee industry. While there are two cafes in Japan, the Kiyosumi location is the more engaging of the pair, with roasting equipment on premise, merch for sale and friendly staff for you to experience.
iki Espresso has been within the Kiyosumi community for decades, but its approach to high quality coffee seemingly hasn't changed much to locals. Visit the modern space in Kiyosumi Shirakawa and enjoy its clean and casual aesthetic.
For cafes, community and customer service is often just as important as the brew. Tiny Paradise prides itself on the community it has built with its guests, while offering a selection of dark roasts and pastries of high standards. We also found ourselves very much relaxed at this laid back location.
Perhaps the most "mainstream" of the cafes we've featured, Blue Bottle calls its Kiyosumi Shirakawa location its flagship store and it shows – the location is absolutely huge. We can't deny that Blue Bottle's branding is king, but the coffee also speaks for itself, so be sure to stop by especially if you're lucky to call yourself a local.
A side brand to another cafe on our coffee tour – Kitasando Coffee – Monnaka provides a clean aesthetic alongside a simple menu of espressos and lattes. The interior is made up of natural wood structures and beams, giving a calm, unpretentious atmosphere, but if it's a particularly clear day like on our visit, definitely sit outside on the terrace.
Sometimes you need a change of environment, and CLANN BY THE RIVER was exactly that. While it serves more like a restaurant, we couldn't help but relax with a coffee from its Leaves Coffee Roasters bean selection alongside the Sumida River in its backyard. Stay for lunch as well, even dinner if it's that late in the day.
The Harajuku location is no longer a secret, and Koto City is just far enough to separate the tourists from the true coffee fanatics. What's better as well is that the Kiyosumi Shirakawa shop is more of a cafe with seating than the "experiential" Harajuku locale, while also still selling international beans and of course pouring MAMEYA's exceptional coffee.
While its exterior is highly industrial, Fukadaso surprised us with its alfresco-decorated interior and comfortable furniture. We were also impressed with the small selection of food and sweets on offer. The atmosphere was very chill so definitely come with friends.
9.
BSquared
If you're hungry as well as caffeine-deprived, BSquared – short for Bread and Bean – is here to cull all of your cravings. We shared a few sandwiches and scones, but there's a lot more of its bakery offerings to say we've found a favorite.
For those who are looking for more of a homely vibe, Arise Coffee Roasters gave off a really chill vibe on our visit. But don't pass this off as a random cafe with some do-dads on the wall – single origin beans from various locations are on offer here for your perfect cup, poured by highly trained baristas.