01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
In Kamigyo Ward's Shinmeicho neighborhood, NICHIGETSU-SHA welcomes guests with hand-drip coffee carefully prepared 1 cup at a time. The café uses fresh beans roasted by Kyoto's own Cafe de Corazon. Anchored by medium-dark and dark roasts, the selection adapts to any mood, offering generous mug-sized pours, café au lait mixed with milk, and cold coffee sweetened with honey.
A rotating spread of daily homemade treats complements the drinks. Rich gateau au chocolat and rustic carrot cake sit alongside house-made ice cream in vanilla and other flavors, pairing harmoniously with the coffee's gentle bitterness. For visitors who prefer not to drink coffee or wish to cool down during a stroll, the refreshing homemade lemonade and crisp ginger ale provide bright alternatives.
Set inside a renovated traditional Kyoto townhouse, the cozy interior holds around 6 seats amid bookshelves that foster a calm, quiet atmosphere. The shop operates as a café from Monday through Thursday and transitions to selling secondhand books on Saturdays, with regular closures on Fridays and Sundays. Payment is cash only, so having cash ready makes for an easy stop.
