Wife & Husband

Ikumi and Kyoichi Yoshida restored a vacant, century old house about a hundred meters from the Kamo River in 2015, keeping its original dirt floor entryway and an old wooden counter rather than smoothing the building over. Antiques and vintage goods the couple has collected fill the small room, sold alongside the coffee, and honey toast and cheesecake round out the short menu for anyone staying inside.

The signature idea is the picnic itself: reserve a set and the Yoshidas send guests to the riverbank with a thermos of coffee, a basket of treats, and folding chairs and a table to set up along the water. Seating for both the cafe room and the picnic sets are limited and reservation only, booked online from the 15th of the month before, a system built around a single, unhurried visit rather than fast turnover.