Retro cafes in the Kurashiki area! 10 popular spots where you can relax

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A retro cafe founded in 1971, located in a corner of the Kurashiki Bikan Chiku (Kurashiki Historical Quarter). It specializes in roasted coffee.

The interior has a quiet, relaxing feel with the warmth of wood. They also sell coffee beans and original products.

Photograph:古舘 達也

There are four kinds of straight coffee made with just one type of bean.

The "Today’s Straight" lets you enjoy coffees from Brazil or Guatemala that change daily. Since they roast the beans in house, it is said to carefully bring out the best qualities of the beans.

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Variation coffees made by adding fresh cream or milk to a base coffee are also popular.

The "Vienna coffee" has a look that brings a snowy mountain to mind, and people say the smooth fresh cream goes nicely with the slightly bitter coffee.

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This retro cafe, set in a renovated machiya (traditional townhouse) built in the late Edo period, has a warm nostalgic feel. It is located a 12-minute walk from Kurashiki Station, on a corner of Honmachi-dori.

You can relax and stretch out your legs in the zashiki (tatami seating area) or at the table seats on the wooden floor.

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The coffee "Coffee (Ohara Blend)" is an original blend from Kurashiki Obara Kohiten.

It is said to have a fruity flavor with a slight acidity. Reviews give it high marks for having no distinctive flavor and being easy to drink.

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The seasonal parfaits come in a total of 8 flavors across spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

The "Kuromame (black soybeans) to Kurogoma (black sesame) Parfait" is very filling, with anko (sweet red bean paste) and shiratama (rice flour dumplings) inside. It is said to be a highly satisfying parfait made with plenty of seasonal ingredients.

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This retro cafe is a 12-minute walk from Kurashiki Station, right by Ohara Bijutsukan (Ohara Museum of Art).

The quiet interior has a calm atmosphere. In a space that feels like another world, you can spend a relaxing moment.

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They offer a wide variety of drinks, including coffee, tea, cocoa, and matcha (powdered green tea).

The chilled “cold coffee” is said to have a clean bitterness and mellow richness in perfect balance. It is said to be a cup that makes your fatigue melt away.

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The light meal menu has just one item: thick cut "Toast (Butter)," made with 100% Domestic wheat. For an extra charge, you can add more butter, jam, sauce, and other toppings.

It is generously spread with butter, and the soft texture is said to be very good.

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This retro cafe and fruit parlor is popular for its soft serve made with fruits from Okayama Prefecture.

The nostalgic interior leaves a strong impression. On sunny days, you can enjoy your meal on the terrace surrounded by a bamboo grove.

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The soft serve made with milk based on fresh raw milk from Hiruzen Jersey (Hiruzen Jersey cattle) cows and fruit juice kneaded in to the limit is popular.

The “Shimizu Hakuto Marugoto Soft” has a rich fruit juice taste, almost like white peach gelato. It has a clean finish and is easy to eat, according to reviews.

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The "Today’s Fruit Parfait" is made with plenty of fresh seasonal fruit, with no skimping at all.

It also lets you enjoy original soft serve, panna cotta, and wine jelly, so it is said you can eat it all the way to the end without getting tired of it.

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This retro looking cafe is set in a renovated machiya (traditional townhouse) in the Kurashiki Bikan Chiku (Kurashiki Historical Quarter). It is a 13-minute walk from Kurashiki Station.

The interior feels like an art museum, with glass craft artworks on display. The counter seats, which look out over the streetscape of Kurashiki Bikan Chiku, are especially popular.

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They mainly serve seasonal parfaits and sweets made with fruit from Okayama Prefecture.

The shiro ichigo parfait (white strawberry parfait) is said to win people over with its cute look. It is popular for letting you enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruit itself.

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They also have a great selection of gelato and soft serve. You can choose either a cup or a cone.

The “Hiruzen Jersey Gyunyu (Hiruzen Jersey milk) soft serve” lets you enjoy the rich and full flavor of the milk. The mixed flavors with white peach or matcha are also popular.

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This retro cafe sits in the heart of Kurashiki Bikan Chiku (Kurashiki Historical Quarter) in a renovated kominka (traditional old house) that is 100 years old.

The interior has a Japanese feel. In addition to zashiki (tatami room) table seating, the cafe also offers counter seats that are easy to use even when dining alone.

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The specialty "Shiawase Purin (Happy Pudding)" is a dessert that became a hot topic because of the story that if you remember your fun memories of Kurashiki and Yurin-an after eating it, something happy will happen 2 weeks later.

It is said to have a soft texture and taste great.

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The popular “peach juice,” a favorite to enjoy with dessert, is served in a carefully selected momo-jiri glass. It is a precious item, Handmade by a glass artist in Okayama Prefecture.

Because it uses only peaches from Okayama, you can enjoy a clean, refreshing sweetness.

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This cafe stands out for its castle-like exterior. Inside, the antique-style decor and weighty feel create a retro and calm atmosphere.

The spacious interior makes it easy to relax and take your time, and some say it feels like stepping back into the Showa era.

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They offer about 250 kinds of light meals and 210 kinds of cafe menu items. You can also order alcohol depending on the time of day.

The "pudding à la mode" is so popular that it sometimes sells out. It uses fresh fruit, and even the way it is cut is said to be beautiful.

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There are six kinds of Breakfast in total. The "Sand Breakfast" comes with a ham sandwich, coffee, fruit, jelly, and miso soup (fermented soybean soup).

They say there is nothing better than sipping strong coffee while enjoying a Breakfast set.

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This retro cafe offers carefully roasted in-house coffee and Homemade cakes in an antique space filled with classical music.

The dimly lit interior feels like a hideaway for adults. It is a great choice when you want to take a break in a quiet place.

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The coffee comes in a wide range of options, including single origin, blends, and premium varieties. They also offer decaf and organic options.

Toki no Kairo Coffee Mozart uses high-grade rare coffee beans from Ethiopia. It is said to have a nice aroma and a smooth, tasty flavor.

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The cakes are also available A la carte, but the popular choice is the "Today’s Cake Set," which comes with a drink.

The cheesecake is the rich, dense kind with a satisfying weight to it. The cheese flavor is full and rich, and the pineapple and mikan (mandarin orange) served on the side add a nice accent.

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This kissaten (Japanese-style coffeehouse) lets you enjoy nel drip coffee in a nature-filled space surrounded by large trees.

The interior is designed so you can savor the aroma of coffee and spend your time with care. The tables are spaced well apart, so you can relax and take it easy.

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They use Special selected coffee beans and offer Special specialty coffee each season.

The “Kigi Coffee Sha Blend” is their original blend. It has a rich sweetness and a fresh acidity that makes it easy to drink.

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They have a full selection of sweets that go well with coffee, including original baked pastries and cakes made in-house.

The Marron Waffle is a combination of a substantial waffle and mont blanc chestnut cream. The freshly baked waffle is said to have a crisp surface and great flavor.

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A retro cafe by the Kurashiki River, known for its nagaya-fu (row house-style) exterior. In the sabo corner, you can enjoy Homemade dango (Japanese rice dumplings).

The interior has a Japanese feel. From the table seats, you can look out over the tsuboniwa (small courtyard garden) and spend a calm, relaxing time.

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They have a full lineup of Japanese-style sweets.

The "Hon Kibidango Set" comes with hon kibidango (traditional millet dumplings) and a drink of your choice. The kibidango made with the traditional grain takakibi is said to have a gentle, simple flavor.

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The specialty omikuji dango (fortune slip dumplings) has a cute and colorful look.

The dumplings are topped with fillings such as matcha and ramune, and they offer a new kind of dango that starts with fruit and ends with marshmallow.