喫茶店

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 喫茶店でコーヒーを飲みました。▶ —
   I drank coffee at the café.
2. 駅前に古い喫茶店があります。▶ —
   There is an old café in front of the station.

Collocations

Mnemonic

喫茶店 kissaten = 喫 (sip) + 茶 (tea) + 店 (shop). The golden era of the Japanese kissaten ran from the 1950s–70s, anchoring Showa urban social life. Register split: kissaten (traditional Showa-vibe café) vs kafe (modern café, Starbucks-style). 純喫茶 (junkissaten) = a "pure" kissaten without alcohol or full meals, only tea, coffee, and desserts. Nagoya's mooningu (morning set) culture means ordering coffee in the morning includes free toast, egg, and salad. Naporitan, cream soda, and purin (pudding) are signature kissaten menu items. Like Korea's "dabang" in retro positioning. PATCH-4 v3 note: Showa-era vocab acts as a cultural-history layer.

Quick check

1. How does 純喫茶 differ from a regular kissaten?

   • Traditional kissaten serving only tea, coffee, desserts — no alcohol or meals
   • 24-hour café
   • Chain café
   • Late-night kissaten