Retro cafes in the Okazaki area! 10 popular spots you’ll want to visit at least once

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A cafe where you can enjoy jikabaisen coffee (house-roasted coffee) and homemade sweets. This standalone house-style shop is in Fukuju-cho, Toyota City, along the Nagoya Okazaki Kaido road.

Old stoves and clocks are on display, creating a retro cafe space. It also seems to have terrace seating facing the rice fields.

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A little apart from the main space, they also have a Private room that doubles as a small gallery. For a fee, you can also use the Private room just for tea.

Their specialty is parfaits made with plenty of seasonal fruit. These colorful desserts come in tall slender glasses layered with fruit ice cream and jelly.

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The cakes that change every month are also popular. They are clearly made with care, and are said to be easy for everyone from children to seniors to enjoy.

If you want to try several kinds of cake, the recommended option is the "Combo" or "Trio," a set that lets you enjoy 2 or 3 half-size cakes.

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This coffee shop is about a 6-minute drive south from Okazaki Station, near the Ueji intersection. The brick wall and chimney, along with the white exterior walls, make it easy to spot.

Inside, jazz plays in an open space that is said to have a calm retro feel. It is a popular local spot, and the parking lot is often full.

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The restaurant has terrace seating with the warm feel of wood, where you can enjoy a pleasant Breakfast time while basking in the morning sun.

The Breakfast menu stands out for toast and pancakes served with hearty salads. It has a good reputation for offering a healthy meal from the start of the day.

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A vegetable sommelier is on staff, and the restaurant offers a wide range of vegetable and fruit menu items based on expert knowledge.

The popular Yasai Sommelier Juice, made with a carrot base blended with vegetables and fruits, is especially well liked. Guests also praise the carrot juice for bringing out the ingredients' natural sweetness.

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This café is run by a tea wholesaler founded in 1820. From growing the tea to processing it, they handle everything in-house, and they also sell original tea leaves.

It is located on Prefectural Route 37 on the east side of Okazaki City, on the way to Kuragari Keikoku (Kuragari Gorge), a scenic spot popular with visitors. The shop is built like a historic farmhouse.

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The retro interior, which makes use of an old farmhouse building, is well regarded. In addition to the counter seats on the first floor and seating on the second floor, there are also terrace seats overlooking the chabatake (tea fields).

In summer, many people make the long trip here for kakigori (shaved ice). You can enjoy kakigori topped with syrups made from house-made tea and other ingredients.

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They offer several kinds of ryokucha (green tea), depending on the variety and harvest season, along with a lineup that includes rare black tea from Okazaki. The tea is brewed with great care, and its flavor is said to be outstanding, with some saying it has “umami like nothing they’ve tasted before.”

Paired with wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) that reflect the season, it seems like a great place to enjoy an elegant moment.

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This coffee shop stands in Hosokawa-cho, a nature-rich area at the foot of Murazumisan in northern Okazaki City. Since opening in 1999, it has been loved for its detached house style designed to resemble a large kura (traditional storehouse).

Inside, antique-style tables are arranged throughout, and it also has open terrace seating.

Photograph:山崎川 五十郎

This is said to be a place where you will want to relax and take your time in a calm space that feels like a retro cafe.

The shop also has its own roasting room, where you can enjoy house-roasted coffee made with care. Another feature is that you can choose how your coffee is brewed, either by paper drip or French press.

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They offer a wide range of coffees, including a daily featured cup and high quality specialty coffee.

Their Breakfast service, available until noon, comes with free toast or chiffon cake with the price of a drink. For an extra charge, set options with sausage and egg dishes are also popular.

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Tenka no Michi (Path of the Realm) in Okazaki City is lined with statues of military commanders who were active around 1570, including senior retainers of Sengoku warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu. Standing along this promenade is this coffee shop.

The interior blends retro charm with a playful touch, creating a unique space with stickers inspired by the shop name Oka (hill) placed throughout.

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This shop is said to draw many visitors from far away, all looking for its unique space that combines a bright feel with a sense of cleanliness.

At the popular Breakfast service, ordering a coffee comes with a half slice of toast for free. You can also add a boiled egg or salad for an extra charge.

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The old school food menu is also available, and the egg sandwich with tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet) and the Homemade curry are also signature items.

The "Cream Soda," a green soda topped with soft serve that fits this retro cafe perfectly, is also popular. You can enjoy its nostalgic taste in this unique space.

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This shop is modeled after Antico Caffè, a retro Italian café bar. It is located on the 1st floor of Aeon Style Okazaki Ten in Tosaki-cho, Okazaki City.

The calm space is put together with antique style interiors. It also appears to have counter seating.

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The calm interior with jazz playing creates a relaxing space where you can forget the bustle of the shopping mall.

They also offer Breakfast service, with not only the classic toast and coffee combination but also a Japanese set menu of zakkoku onigiri (multigrain rice balls) and miso soup.

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"Natsukashi no Cream Soda" is a signature drink at retro cafes. You can choose from blue, green, or red, and it is a soda topped with ice cream and a cherry.

The ketchup-flavored and curry-flavored pasta is also popular, and they have kept the same taste for 40 years.

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This coffee shop stands in Umezonocho, about a 4-minute drive north from Higashi-Okazaki Station. It has been in business for over 50 years and is still loved by locals today.

The interior, with its carpets and sofa seating, still seems to keep the retro feel of a 1970s jun-kissa (classic Japanese coffee shop).

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The signature "World Breakfast set" includes options such as the croissant-based "French Breakfast" and the cheese baguette "Italian Breakfast."

Even though the bread and salad combo is the same, they say that just changing the bread makes you feel like you're traveling the world.

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The "Royal Cinnamon Toast," made with thick cut yama-gata pan (mountain shaped bread) toasted until fragrant and topped with plenty of cinnamon and honey, is also popular.

Another highlight is the wide selection of black teas, including tea leaves from around the world and flavored teas, so you can find a cup that suits your mood that day.

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This coffee shop in a standalone house is near the Okazaki IC on the Tomei Expressway. Its brick exterior and triangular roof make it easy to spot.

This is a shop that has long been loved by locals. Inside, there are counter seats and sofa seats, so guests can spend their time however they like.

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The Breakfast menu is extensive, and when you order a coffee or tea drink, it comes with a complimentary half slice of toast.

They also offer paid set menus that come with salad and eggs. You can also add jam or anko (sweet red bean paste) as an option, so you can customize it.

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On the dessert menu, the waffles are popular. They recommend topping the freshly baked waffle with cold soft serve and enjoying the contrast in temperature as you eat.

The well loved soft serve goes well not only with waffles but also with toast, so you can enjoy it in the style you like best.

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Founded in 1980, this kissaten (Japanese-style coffee shop) opens from early morning. It is located near the Okazaki IC, close to the Horaicho Higashi bus stop.

This standalone house with white exterior walls comes with a large parking lot. Its charm lies in the cozy space, where you can relax and spend a calm, unhurried time in a retro atmosphere.

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In the morning, the restaurant is popular for its service that includes a free set of bread, salad, and eggs with a wide range of drinks such as coffee, tea, and fresh juice.

With the paid asa set meal, you also get sausage and salad, and you can choose rice and miso soup instead of toast.

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The food menu offers a wide variety, from old-school kissaten (Japanese coffee shop) classics to daily lunch sets, gyudon (beef Rice bowl), and Kara-age set meals.

You can also enjoy Aichi Prefecture specialties like ankake spaghetti (spaghetti with a thick sauce), as well as Napolitan, a ketchup-based pasta dish.

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Kameya stands along Nishi Kosei-dori, not far from Okazaki Castle Park. Amid the rows of modern buildings, this place alone seems to preserve the look of the 1970s.

Inside, a stuffed turtle is on display, giving the space the feel of a truly retro cafe.

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It has a nostalgic feel that can make even first-time visitors feel at home.

The standard Breakfast set comes with half-size toast, a boiled egg, and salad, plus a small rice ball. It also has a warm, homey touch.

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The menu has all the classic coffee shop staples, including spaghetti, sandwiches, and toast.

Many regulars keep coming back for the daily lunch special, and you can tell this place has been loved for years. The popular "Yakisoba Set" is also a favorite, with yakisoba (fried noodles) and rice served as an assortment on one plate.