A little way from the center of Nagoya Station, the Shikemichi area is where history and atmosphere intersect. This is a popular spot for both tourists and locals, with the old townscape that continues from the Edo period still remaining. "Coffee House Kako" sits quietly on this charming street corner. Coffee House Kako, which blends in with the history of the Shikemichi area, where many pre-war buildings remain, is a place of relaxation for locals and a hideaway where tourists can take a break during their travels.

The first shop in Nagoya to offer home-roasted coffee

Coffee House Kako is a coffee shop in Nagoya that was founded in 1972. The shop began when the coffee-loving owner inherited the store from his friend's aunt. Located on the east side of Nagoya Station, within walking distance of the station, the shop is known for being the first in Nagoya to introduce home-roasted coffee. When it first opened, it aimed to provide coffee with freshness and deep flavor, and quickly became popular among locals. The owner says that in the days before canned coffee, he would often deliver coffee orders to office districts. Even now, more than 50 years after its founding, that commitment has not changed, and the shop is so popular that there are long queues on weekends.

The best feature of this cafe is the high-quality coffee that is roasted in-house. Since its establishment, the cafe has never compromised on the selection of coffee beans, roasting, or brewing, and always serves the best cup of coffee. The owner personally selects the raw beans, and when roasting, he hand-picks out any defective beans one by one, going to great lengths to ensure the coffee is always of the highest quality.

In addition, the roasted beans are served fresh, so you can enjoy the aroma and flavor of freshly ground coffee to your heart's content. From the counter seats inside the shop, you can watch the master carefully brew the coffee, providing a special experience for all customers.

The interior of the store is a nostalgic space with stained glass and antique furniture, creating a relaxed atmosphere. There are table seats and counter seats, and you can spend a relaxing time in the small space. From morning breakfast to lunch and cafe time, the store warmly welcomes customers for a variety of occasions.

The birth of our special homemade jam

There is also a wide variety of toasts to enjoy with your coffee. The especially popular "Chantilly Rouge Special" is a luxurious toast topped with sweet red bean paste, mildly flavored whipped cream, and four kinds of homemade jam. Colorful seasonal confitures such as kiwi, orange, strawberry, and blueberry decorate the toast, allowing you to enjoy a variety of flavor combinations.

The impetus for making homemade jam came from the hand-squeezed orange juice that was served when the shop first opened. The owner's desire to "make ordinary things delicious" led him to serve fresh hand-squeezed juice. He felt that the orange peels that remained after squeezing the oranges were a waste, so he began trial and error to see if he could make orange marmalade instead. "By washing the peels every day for a week and boiling them for three hours, I was able to remove the bitterness and make a delicious marmalade that I was satisfied with," the owner told us happily.

A warm place where locals and tourists can take a break

The area where Coffee House Kako is located is a historic streetscape where prewar houses still remain, and it has been loved by many regular customers for generations as a place where local people can take a break. Now, the grandchildren of former customers are visiting, and deep bonds have been built between the two.

Inside the shop, conversations with customers naturally take place over the counter, creating a relaxed and warm atmosphere. Currently, not only are there local customers, but there is also a steady stream of tourists visiting Coffee House Kako from all over the country.

Coffee House Kako is loved by many as a historic cafe that leads Nagoya's coffee culture, and continues to provide a warm and relaxing place for local customers and tourists alike.

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Store name: Coffee House Kako

Address: 5-16-17 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 450-0002

Access: 10 minutes on foot from Nagoya Station

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kako_coffee_honten/

HP: https://kakomaster1972.wixsite.com/kako1972/%E3%83%9B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.