Coffee Shops in Japan

きっさてん
(Japanese Coffee Shop)
Basic Phrases





いくらかかりますか。 (How much does it cost?)
何をたべらばいいのですか。 (What should I
eat?)
コーヒを二はいおねがいします。 (I’d like to order
two cups of coffee, please.)
いくつ。 (How many?) (Question word)
おぼえましたか。 (Did/do you remember?)
The Shops




Japanese Coffee Shops, (often called きっさてん), have their parallels to
American and European cafes, however there are very notable differences.
Many Businesses serve as a coffee shop by day, and a bar of some sort at
night. Sometimes a karaoke bar, sometimes a more laid-back dance club.
These varieties, as in America, are limited only by the business owner’s
imagination and finances. Often, café/club establishments can be spotted by
seeing liquor bottles behind the counter with customer names on them, to
allow returning customers to buy a bottle and empty it over the course of
several days.
Starbuck’s has invaded Japan as well, and there are some establishments
and franchises which mirror the corporation.
Most coffee shops will serve meals, rather than simple pastries as in the
west. These may change throughout the day and have very simple names.
Sweets and snacks are also often served.
The Coffee


A きっさてん is always a place to get good,
strong coffee, however tea is always available,
and water will often be served with espresso
drinks.
Differences in taste are also evident in brewing
methods, as Japanese cafes may use a coffee
siphon as the most common brewing method,
as opposed to espresso machines in the west.
The Food


Many of the きっさてん in Japan will have breakfast sets, and
often lunch sets, which correspond roughly to meals at fastfood restaurants in America (though the food is better in the
きっさてん). Ordering is simple: before 11:00 AM, you may
simply walk in, have a seat, and ask for ﾓｰﾆﾝｸﾞ1, or ﾓｰﾆﾝｸﾞA.
While sweets and pastries are not the sole food of Japanese
cafes, they are often nonetheless for sale, and customers may
often find these items in a glass display case near the entrance
of the establishment. Thus, if you’re not quite sure what you’d
like, it is not impolite to ask the waitress to accompany you to
the case and point at the item you desire. It may also help to
write down the price of the desired item to avoid mix-ups.
The Culture




Tipping in a きっさてん is neither expected nor customary.
Traditionally, coffee-serving establishments were the only establishments in
the area which could afford LP records, and customers would go partly for
the coffee itself, and partly for the music. This plays a big role in the
tradition and atmosphere of today’s cafes, and some even maintain the
same tradition and “intellectual” clientele.
Shops with more gourmet-style coffees may charge extra, as customers
tend to sit and relax for longer periods of time. When coffee in America
was $0.25, coffee in Japan was more than $2.50. While the price did not
scale over the years, these types of shops may still charge as much as $8 a
cup.
Japanese ｺﾋｰ is not simply a drink to gulp down when you feel tired. Often
for Japanese customers, coffee is a treat, and when offering it the
expression is more often “おごってあげる。”, or “Let me treat you.”, where
in America we more frequently offer to “buy” the person a cup.
Conversation







(A): いらっしゃいませ。Welcome, may I help you?
(B): メニューをねがいします。May I have a menu?
(A): はい、しょうしょうおまちくださし。Of course, just a
moment.
(A): ごちゅもんはおきまりですか。Do you know what you’d
like to order?
(B): はい（きまりました）、ｺｰﾋｰをひとつください。 I’ve
decided. One cup of coffee, please.
(A): かしこまりました、ほかに何か。Right away, will there be
anything else?
(B): いいえ、けっこうです。No, that will do.

Download Report