Shimokitazawa still has a long way to go before it is acknowledged as a specialty coffee area, but its baristas are working hard to change this.
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Even by Japanese standards, Shimokitazawa has a huge selection of shops and restaurants. Located a few stops away from Shibuya and Shinjuku, it manages to be lively yet less crowded, attracting people that want to have fun, chill or shop without the hustle. It also helps that the indie neighborhood is extremely pedestrian-friendly.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
In Shimokita, the buildings are less tall and imposing compared to many areas of Tokyo, with a profusion of bars, second-hand clothes stores, live houses, theaters and karaoke places. Although less celebrated, the coffee shops in the neighborhood also deserve to be in the spotlight. Nicely decorated and with a good product and atmosphere, some are a perfect fit for those wanting to have some peace and quiet to relax, chat or work.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
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“Shimokitazawa indeed is known as a relaxing area”, says Susumu Fujimiya, co-founder and skilled barista of Ballon D’essai, that opened its doors in the neighborhood almost 4 years ago. “The area has been attracting many new coffee shops, although it can’t yet be called a coffee area per se.” Fujimiya, a self-taught barista who also trained himself in latte art through seminars, books, specialist advice and practice, chose to open Ballon D’essai after working in the area for 13 years.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
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A love of Shimokita also motivated others to have their own coffee shop in the area. “I used to work in a vinyl store here”, says Hideki Tanabiki, the owner of Bookends Coffee Service. “I love music and coffee, so I decided to create something that mixed both”. The coffee shop, located a 3 minute walk from the South exit of Shimokitazawa Station) tries to emulate the atmosphere of American university coffee shops. Its walls are covered with vinyls – and both the vinyls and background music are changed weekly to match the time of year. It has been featured in a Vogue magazine shoot as well as on the cover of Setagaya Life (世田谷ライフ), a magazine about the ward of Tokyo where Shimokita is located.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
In terms of quality, two coffee shops stand out in the neighborhood. Bear Pond, arguably one of Tokyo’s best, is the most well-known. It was opened in 2009 by Katsu Tanaka, a former Japanese businessman who spent almost 20 years in New York. Although always full, its reputation has being slightly affected by Tanaka’s sometimes truculent behavior, yet the quality of his espresso itself is indisputable, praised in both documentaries and books. Recently, he has started to act more friendly (do not expect a warm welcome though), even allowing customers to take pictures inside the shop (after asking him, keep in mind).
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
The other is Coffea Exlibris. Indeed, it is less hyped than Bear Pond, but it doesn’t disappoint at all. This quiet place (it’s forbidden to take pictures inside) with no queue whatsoever and a serious yet relaxed ambience also offers espresso-based drinks and sweets – like most of the other places in Shimokita. But its selection of single origin coffee steal the show. Its owner, Katsuhara Otahara, travelled all over the world to acquire the best coffee beans for his store. “The beans are definitely one of our strongest characteristics”, says Mika “Min Min” Hayashi, barista of Coffea Exlibris. All drinks and beans (when bought separately) come with a detailed information sheet describing the property and coffee characteristics. No other shop – at least in this area – offer something vaguely similar.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
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Coffea Exlibris is not for beginners. And that’s exactly what Shimokita needs, according to Alex Daniel, owner of Frankie Melbourne Espresso. “If all shops start serving decent coffee, the whole area will be lifted up”, says Daniel. According to him, Japanese youth (which comprises a big chunk of Shimokita locals and visitors) are used to 100-yen products from convenience stores and don’t really value such enterprises. “But I hope Shimokita will have a coffee awakening, where people here will start seeing value in flavors, varieties and possibilities they can explore”.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
Frankie was inspired by Melbourne, which has a worldwide renowned coffee culture. To him, Shimokita feels like Brunswick, a district of the Aussie city Melbourne. And has the same potential. “Its an artistic area, frequented by a lot of interesting people. Coffee-wise, many improvements can happen in the near future.” Also located a few meters away from the South exit of Shimokitazawa Station, Frankie opened in February 2016 with big plans on the horizon.
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Shimokitazawa:Coffee
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Shimokita may not be yet Tokyo’s coffee mecca. But it already has top-notch baristas and superb coffee at almost half of the price of what’s on offer in areas such as Shibuya and Omotesando. Feel like a latte, espresso, cappuccino, bachelor or long black? Don’t be afraid to try them in this ever-evolving hipster neighborhood.
Posts by Felipe Pontes- BOOKENDS COFFEE SERVICE
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