Osaka is a city with bridges of all sizes. Near where Midoribashi Bridge once stood, there is a 100-year-old townhouse built in the Taisho era. Listening to the sound of the wood creaking, you will find yourself at the top of the townhouse's stairs, where you will find Hon no Jikan, a cafe where you can enjoy some time alone with a book.

A place to "do" nothing

Hon no Jikan, which opened in February 2023, was created from the owner Kobayashi's desire to "create a space where people can truly enjoy being alone."

Unlike a typical cafe, the only sounds you can hear inside the cafe are the sound of the fish tank and quiet music. The space is filled with a peaceful silence, and is never oppressive.

Kobayashi talks about how Hon no Jikan was born: "I created this place based on my experience at a book cafe I came across in Tokyo. Of course, it was a place where I could quietly read a book, but it also felt like a place where people who value the same things that I value gathered together. Although we didn't exchange words, I felt a strange sense of security."

"Hon no Jikan" was created with the aim of providing a high-quality reading experience, and is packed with ideas to help you enjoy your time alone.

Creating a space that creates a comfortable silence

The peaceful silence that fills "Real Time" was born from a series of careful considerations. Most of the furniture was handmade, and you can feel the warmth of the wood.

Each seat in the restaurant has its own theme, so you can choose according to your mood, from open window seats, to seats where you can concentrate on reading, to seats where you can lose yourself in your own world.

Tokonoma seating

Regarding the design of the shop, Kobayashi says, "I created the furniture by thinking about what kind of experience I wanted customers to have at their seats. By the way, no matter where you sit, you won't cross eye line with other customers. I also decided that I definitely wanted to have an aquarium so that customers could listen to the sound of the water and watch the fish."

A space where you can feel the warmth of a traditional townhouse

The seats at the back offer a particularly mysterious experience. Sitting in a large chair that surrounds you, you feel as if you are in a private room, immersed in your own world.

On the desk is a notebook where visitors can freely write down whatever comes to mind. From random thoughts to feelings that are difficult to talk about, these notebooks contain a story that tells the individual story of each person who has visited here.

A chair large enough to encase your whole body (left) and a notebook (right)

Enjoy delicious coffee and homemade desserts.

Classic chocolate gateau with an elegant sweetness

Desserts and drinks are essential when you want to take a break. The average customer at Hon no Jikan stays for about two hours. The cafe has been designed to ensure that even if you stay a long time, you can still enjoy a delicious drink right to the end.

"In the summer, we put coffee ice in so that the coffee doesn't get diluted. We brew hot coffee using a machine called a French press so that customers can enjoy two cups," says Kobayashi.

Please come and refresh your mind.

It's a place where you can spend some "alone time" that you can't easily experience at an ordinary cafe. Some customers come from far away in search of a special space.

Kobayashi said this about his shop: "If you can't talk in a cafe, the customer base will be limited. But I still wanted to create a space that I like. I was surprised to find that there were more people than I expected looking for a place like Honjikan. Life can be stressful. I'd be happy if the time you spend here can refresh your mind."

It's surprisingly difficult to enjoy time alone. Even when you try to space out, you can't help but pick up your phone, or you can't stop thinking about things you need to do... "Hon no Jikan" offers a gentle, relaxing space for people who are struggling with "time alone."

ホンのジカン
電話：03-5952-0114
住所：大阪府大阪市東成区東中本1丁目2-10　町屋複合施設〜燈〜2階
アクセス：大阪メトロ中央線緑橋駅徒歩2分
HP：https://honnojikan.wixsite.com/bookcafe
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/honnojikan/?hl=ja

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