Kiyosumi Shirakawa: 5 Best Stops in Tokyo’s Coffee District

Kiyosumi Shirakawa is where Tokyo’s specialty coffee scene took hold. It was a quiet corner of the old Fukagawa district, full of low buildings and warehouses with high ceilings, which turned out to be exactly what a roastery needs. Blue Bottle opened its first Japanese cafe here in 2015 and a dozen others followed.

What makes it worth a full day is that the coffee is not the only thing here. An Edo period stroll garden, one of Tokyo’s major contemporary art museums and a local rice dish that predates all of it are within about fifteen minutes of each other on foot.

Need to Know

• From Tokyo Station: about 15 minutes, Marunouchi Line to Otemachi then the Hanzomon Line
• From Shinjuku: about 25 minutes, Shinjuku Line to Kudanshita then the Hanzomon Line
• Kiyosumi Garden: ¥150 for adults, under an hour to walk
• MOT: closed Mondays, prices vary by exhibition
• How long: a full day at a slow pace

💡 日本小贴士： Use Exit A3 at Kiyosumi-shirakawa Station. It puts you closest to both Blue Bottle and the garden, which are the two fixed points the rest of the day hangs off.

Why Kiyosumi Shirakawa Is Known for Coffee

The neighbourhood had cheap warehouse space with the ceiling height and floor loading that roasting equipment needs, sitting in a residential area with almost no competition. Blue Bottle chose it for its first Japan location in 2015 and the reputation built from there.

It is now a genuine cluster rather than one famous shop. ARiSE Coffee Roasters and Koffee Mameya Kakeru for filter, Allpress Espresso and Cafe Moment for espresso, and First Crop Japan Roastery if you want to be asked which you would prefer.

💡 日本小贴士： If you have had enough coffee, Minoya does freshly made soy milk and handmade tofu. It is a short walk, it costs almost nothing, and it is the local answer to the same question.

Kiyosumi Garden

A few minutes from the cafes, Kiyosumi Garden is a classic stroll garden built around a large pond. It began in the Edo period and was reworked by Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of Mitsubishi, who used it to entertain guests and shipped in stone from across the country to do it.

The path runs right around the water on stepping stones set just above the surface, so you cross the pond rather than walk around it. Turtles sun themselves on the rocks, herons stand in the shallows and the whole circuit takes well under an hour.

Admission is ¥150, paid at the gate. For that it is one of the best value hours in Tokyo.

💡 日本小贴士： Bring repellent in summer, the pond breeds mosquitoes and they are enthusiastic. The pavilion out over the water is the best spot for photographs at any time of year.

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

A few minutes further on, MOT holds one of the largest collections of postwar and contemporary art in Japan, alongside rotating exhibitions. The building is worth the walk on its own: long, top lit galleries and a sharp angled entrance canopy.

You can buy for the permanent collection, a special exhibition, or both. Check the museum website before you go, because what is on and what it costs both change through the year, and it closes on Mondays.

Fukagawa-meshi

This was a fishing district, and Fukagawa-meshi is what the fishermen ate: rice cooked with clams and their own broth. It is still served here, either as kamameshi steamed in an iron pot or as rice under a clam soup poured over the top.

Fukagawa Kamasho does it properly and cheaply. The kamameshi arrives in the pot it cooked in, with a light clam soup alongside, and it is a plain dish that has survived on being good rather than fashionable.

💡 日本小贴士： Order the chilled umeshu with it. Cold plum wine against hot rice and clam soup is a better combination than it has any right to be after a day on your feet.

The Sumida River at Dusk

If there is light left, walk down to the Sumida. The promenade is wide and quiet, the water carries the lights of central Tokyo, and Skytree stands over the rooftops behind you. It is a residential riverfront rather than a scenic one, which is the point.

💡 日本小贴士： The path is shared with cyclists and it is a good stretch to ride if you can rent a bike. Sunset and the half hour after it are the times to be there.

What to Do Next

Asakusa is a short ride north and is the obvious continuation if you want more of old Tokyo, so our Asakusa guide picks up from here. For gardens and collections elsewhere in the city, the Tokyo museum guide and the best time to visit Japan between them cover what is worth seeing and when.

FAQ

Why is Kiyosumi Shirakawa famous for coffee?

It had cheap warehouse space with high ceilings in a quiet residential area, which suited roasteries. Blue Bottle opened its first Japanese cafe here in 2015 and a cluster of independent roasters followed, giving the neighbourhood a reputation that has held since.

How much is Kiyosumi Garden?

¥150 for adults, bought at the gate. The full circuit takes under an hour, and the stepping stone path across the pond is the part worth slowing down for.

Is the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo worth it?

Yes, particularly for the building and the permanent collection of postwar Japanese art. It closes on Mondays, and admission depends on whether you want the collection, a special exhibition or both, so check what is on before you travel.

What is Fukagawa-meshi?

A local dish of rice cooked with clams and their broth, from the days when this was a fishing district on the bay. It is served either as kamameshi in an iron pot or as rice with clam soup poured over it.

How long do you need in Kiyosumi Shirakawa?

A full day at a slow pace. The coffee, the garden, the museum and dinner are all within about fifteen minutes of each other on foot, so the walking is minimal and the time goes on sitting down.