Step Back in Time at Tokyo's Retro Cafes

Drive-in DenDen, Coffee Zingaro, Fujun Kissa Dope Nakano

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東京東部｜東京西部

中野｜浅草

In the 1960s and '70s, Japan was full of a certain style of cafe, called a jun-kissa, known for its relaxed atmosphere and for serving coffee and light meals but no alcohol. Today, retro cafes that recreate these nostalgic establishments are exploding in popularity.

These cafes have been lovingly designed with classic menu options, food presentation, decor, and decorative plastic food models that perfectly echo old-school jun-kissa. But they also include modern artwork and colorful interior design, creating "neo-retro cafes." The comfort, nostalgia, and photogenic stylishness of these cafes are proving popular among young people and international tourists who never got to experience the original jun-kissa.

Three of these establishments offer visitors the chance to immerse themselves in unique spaces that bring the past into the present.

A cafe and bar with vintage electronic signs that create a cyberpunk feel — Drive-in DenDen

Asakusa is a popular area to visit because of Sensoji Temple and the traditional shopping street in front of it. For people who want a taste of old Japan, a new retro destination opened in this retro neighborhood in January 2025: Drive-in DenDen. The cafe and bar sits in the Asakusa Underground Shopping Street, Japan's oldest existing underground shopping street, which is connected to Asakusa Station on the Ginza Line.

In this grungy subterranean environment, Drive-in DenDen shines brightly. The small shop is crammed full of vintage electronic signs that once decorated electronics stores. These signs bring neon light and vibrant color to the shop, which is accented by vintage electronics such as radios and karaoke machines.

There's an original stool at the counter made from a stack of VHS players. Though it looks like a work of modern art, you can actually sit on it. Speakers play Japanese pop music from decades past. The low ceiling is entirely covered with a mirror.

At the back of the shop, there's a large metal sign in the shape of the kanji character for flower, "hana," lined with lightbulbs. It's from the original sign for Asakusa Hanayashiki, the oldest amusement park in Japan. The owner, Yasuyuki Suzuki, notes that this sign is a symbol of Asakusa's history and says he likes the idea of a flower blooming underground.

Suzuki's memories of spending time in his parents' electronics store as a child are linked to his memories of the prosperity of that time. The colorful signs in Drive-in DenDen express the optimism of when he grew up, a time of economic development. He hopes to bring the passion and energy of that time to a younger generation.

Suzuki also owns a coffee roastery that's similarly decorated with electronics. Drive-in DenDen serves the same coffee, as well as original cocktails and snacks. We recommend the "DenDen Bran" cocktail made with Denki Bran, a brandy that was created in Asakusa in the 1800s. This quirky cocktail uses spices such as Japanese pepper to give sweetness and a kick.

The fried rice-flavored rice snacks make for a unique dish to nibble on. If you're looking for something sweet, there are soft-serve ice cream floats. In front of the store, you can play a retro arcade game or a capsule toy machine that offers capsules with stickers inside that are only available at the Asakusa Underground Shopping Street. The shop also has DenDen-branded goods available for purchase.

A retro cafe created by artist Takashi Murakami — Coffee Zingaro

You can find a different retro cafe in the middle of Nakano Broadway, a shopping center famous for its anime- and manga-related merchandise. This retro, subculture-focused location is home to Coffee Zingaro, which opened in April 2023. Coffee Zingaro is a cafe modeled after jun-kissa and was created by popular contemporary artist Takashi Murakami. His instantly recognizable flower artwork covers the cafe and its food and drink options.

Coffee Zingaro is full of color and light. Several disco balls decorate the ceiling. One wall has a large screen modeled after an old TV set that plays digital artwork featuring Murakami's flowers. One wall is covered in flower artwork designed to look like old videogame characters. The cafe itself is practically a work of pop art.

There are ten tables in the cafe, and each one is a playable retro videogame from the 1970s and '80s. You can buy "flower coins" from the cafe and use the coins to play the games.

The cafe's interior includes a tiled wall, floor, lace curtains, and leather sofa that all look like they'd be found in an old jun-kissa. The decorations and furnishings that were built new have been carefully aged. Even the traces of stickers and grime on the walls add to the old-school cafe atmosphere.

We recommend the "flower pancakes," pancakes, which have rice flour and yogurt mixed into the batter. They're lightly sweet and chewy. They pair perfectly with the "flower lattes," available with dark roast or light roast espresso. Also popular are the ice cream floats, a common menu option at old jun-kissa. The menu is in Japanese and English and almost every menu item is decorated with Murakami's flower art.

At the front of the store, you can buy original merchandise such as cookie tins and mugs. It's a great place to find a unique Tokyo souvenir.

An old-school atmosphere with design touches that have gone viral — Fujun Kissa Dope Nakano

For the truly authentic retro experience, visit Fujun Kissa Dope, which is only a few minutes away from Coffee Zingaro outside Nakano Broadway. This cafe actually sits in the same space as an old jun-kissa that closed and offers the same feel as the original.

Walking inside feels like stepping back in time. The interior features glass light fixtures with a wavy bell shape, ceramic vases with floral designs, houseplants in pots on the floor, wooden tables and chairs, a long counter, and a brown tiled floor. The varnish on the edges of the tables has been rubbed away where former customers' hands have touched it. An old TV and record player decorate the counter. Two old clocks sit on the walls, their hands unmoving.

The cafe opened in summer 2020 and serves food that would have been standard fare at an old jun-kissa. You can order ice cream floats that come with a scoop of vanilla sitting on fruit-flavored soda. The Napolitan pasta, a Japanese dish that uses a ketchup-based sauce, is popular because of the unusually thick noodles. The banana splits come in a boat-shaped glass bowl. All the menu items perfectly recreate the food served in times past.

Though Fujun Kissa Dope is a faithful recreation of jun-kissa, it's also characterized by its tasteful modern touches that have made it popular online among young people. There are posters on the wall that feature the cafe's logo, made with pop art-like graphics. Hip hop music plays over the speakers. T-shirts and stickers featuring the store's stylish logo are also popular and available for purchase at the front.

Unlike the alcohol-free jun-kissa of old, Fujun Kissa Dope serves alcohol. Most menu items come in two options: normal and "fujun," or "impure." These "fujun" versions are the same as the normal versions but come with alcohol.

Drive-in DenDen, Coffee Zingaro, and Fujun Kissa Dope recreate cafes of old with stylistic modern touches. Situated in the retro areas of Asakusa and Nakano, which keep the past alive, they offer you a place to sit, drink, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of times gone by.