Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, more than just a Blue Bottle Coffee

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa in downtown Tokyo is popular among coffee lovers nowadays, but the town has more to offer than just Blue Bottle Coffee and the Contemporary Art Museum. Winery, umbrella shop, creators and much more are born following a footstep of “making things”.

Kiyosumi-Shirakwa was known for lumber business, where there were a number of large warehouses for lumbers.  Many were pressured out of business due to decreasing demand of timber.

In due course, the Third Wave Coffee brewers found that the spacious tall structure is exactly right to put in a large smoke vent of coffee machine. Stylish coffee shops opened one after another to take advantage of the large barn. The former lumber business town quickly transformed into fashionable town. 

When we visited the Blue Bottle coffee shop after lunchtime on a weekday, there were long waiting line to have a cup of coffee.  It is a comfortable space, with simple design, yet stylish. After waiting for 40 minutes, I ordered a slice of cake and a coffee.

We walked to the Kiyosumi Garden to enjoy coffee in the green.  It is  not far from the city center, but quiet and beautiful Japanese garden. Kiyosumi Garden features a large pond with a resthouse. It is surrounded by lawns with stepping stone paths.

http://teien.tokyo-park.or.jp/en/kiyosumi/

You’ll see the change taking place in this town. Next time, I will feature wine brewery and umbrella shop in Kiyosumi Shirakawa.  

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Kiyosumi Garden

Address:              2 & 3-chome, Kiyosumi, Koto-ku, Tokyo

Open: 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm). Closed from Dec 29-Jan 1.

Entrance: 150 yen for adults.

The park is a short walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station on the Hanzomon and Oedo Subway Lines.