Kawa Coffee

It was late afternoon in a chilly early spring. I was about to go home when I saw Kawa Coffee. I had always biking passed through the shop and had always thought I will visit this shop someday. The shop is right across Kyoto Imperial Palace and only about 1 km from my dorm at that time.

Kawa Coffee is a two stories coffee shop, the place is designed with a Japanese wooden interior – feels like a mini-machiya (Japanese traditional house). The first floor is a coffee bar and 2 tables with 2 seats each, and it was full by the time I visited. So I went to the second floor, expecting another tables and chairs – and got surprised because the second floor is using tatami (Japanese bamboo carpet). Thus, I had to take off my shoes.

The second floor also has a coffee bar but without the real bar itself. The bar is used to display boots instead. There is also a large table with seats and electric blanket on a tatami. A very Japanese style of enjoying oyatsu (snacking time). I was barely paying attention to the menu as I enjoy my time alone on the second floor. It was a warm room that somehow feels like my own bedroom.

Anyway, I ordered a set of coffee with a toast, about 700yen. Something that usually being ordered for breakfast but I thought why not having it for my tea/coffee time in the afternoon? I then enjoyed the coffee while reading a novel. The toast? I finished it in less than 10 minutes.

It was an afternoon well spent. I definitely will play a visit again to have another coffee and maybe to have a chat with the owner who brews the coffee himself on the first floor

Kawa Coffee
397 Nishi Konbuya-machi, Marutado-cho, Nakuya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0986
Phone: 075-746-5499
Website: kawacoffee.jimdo.com
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10 AM – 6:30 PM