5 of the Best Cafes in Kyoto

Kyoto is a charming city that is unique for it’s traditional Edo architecture. These are 5 of our favorite Kyoto cafes we found while visiting Japan for 50 days!

1. Wife & Husband

Make sure to get a reservation at this coffee shop before you go. However, we didn’t have reservations and were able to adjust our plans on-the-fly by visiting the Kyoto Botanical Gardens and coming back to this coffee shop later in the afternoon. The coffee shop is very small and quaint, but the perfect place to start your day or replenish your energy for the afternoon. The inside of the building brings you back to the bygone Edo period, and we loved the more traditional vibes. This establishment offers reservations to rent picnic supplies and if we had more time and the weather wasn’t as cold, we would have likely elected to do this. The shop is conveniently located right next to the Kamo river, which makes the picnic option all the more enticing.

2. Good Good Not Bad

We originally found this coffee shop in Kyoto. The coffee was wonderful and we like the hip vibes. They were playing some cool music stations. It’s located in a touristic part of town right next to the Kamo River. Great location.

3. Drip & Drop Coffee Supply Ginkakuji

If you’re heading out on philosopher’s path (also known as Tetsugaku no Michi), which is definitely something you should absolutely do while visiting Kyoto, this coffee shop is conveniently located right next to the path. Have a delicious cup, get re-energized, and enjoy the walk. Philospher’s path is a great place to take in nature, and enjoy the canal that runs through this part of the city.

4. Fiveran

While this establishment is likely better known for it’s baked goods, what good is a bakery without delicious coffee to go along with it? Definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re in the mood for some righteous carbo loading.

5. Amam Dacotan Kyoto

This is another shop that is better known for their pastries than their actual coffee. However, the baked goods are well worth it. Whether you’re in the mood for savory or sweet, they’ve got you covered. With two storeys, there’s plenty of space, but the place does get busy, so we recommend getting there early and being prepared to wait a bit before being served.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post of our favorite 5 Kyoto cafes we found while visiting Japan for 50 days! Looking for more coffee places to check out in Tokyo? Here is our blog post on our 6 favorite coffee shops in Tokyo!