 What do socks and James Bond have in common? “Sometimes the old ways are the best” (scene). Just like the old way of shaving was to use a cut-throat razor, one of the oldest ways to brew coffee was to use a sock. If you look past the Starbucks’ and Doutors in Tokyo, you may be surprised to find traditional Japanese coffee places pouring sock-filtered coffee, often located in old neighbourhoods, just like the one I found in Kishibojinmae known as Kiazuma cafe (actually a friend showed me this place). One of the first things you will notice about Kiazuma is its simplicity. Upon first glance, the modest shop front is not obvious to the foreign eye that does not know (much) Japanese. But what gives Kiazuma away is the bicycle parked outside the front next to the the sign, the glass Japanese sliding doors, and the small red sign protruding from above reading ‘Kiazuma Cafe’ (キアズマ珈琲). As you move towards the door and out of the sunlight, it becomes apparent of what is inside. When you enter, you won't find that big modern-day shiny espresso machine pumping out 10 lattes a minute. Instead, you can expect to see a gentleman, or lady doing one of four things: sorting through freshly roasted beans, grinding beans, or pouring a water through a sock-filter filled with ground beans. This is how you can expect to have your coffee poured at Kiazuma after ordering from a defined menu, which offers a variety of blends from all the popular coffee regions of the world, as well as tea and two types of homemade cake. Don’t fret if you can’t read the menu or speak Japanese, the baristas know enough English to give you a basic overview of the menu. In a sense, Kiazuma is something of an art gallery. As you stroll around the cafe, you will find objects that present themselves as pieces of art in rooms and corners that act as canvases themselves. The main feature wall behind the bar is a canvas host to a large hand drawing and a prized red coffee grinder displayed with a dilapidated drawing of coffee beans falling into a coffee cup. On the opposite wall, wall lanterns stream soft light to present a vacant table and vintage chairs. You may also notice the smaller features such as the small skinny flower vases on each table and different coloured folded blankets on each chair. Upstairs presents the older side of the building with it's Japanese architecture of a solid dark wood skeleton and white walls, where you will find various pictures on display. And you should also look-out for the hidden reading corner. With it's traditional customs, and pleasant ambience, Kiazuma cafe takes you back to when you felt the reality of life, and when life was simple, especially in a city where you are constantly bombarded with commercialism and noise. And if you haven't, try a cup of sock-filtered coffee, otherwise it's still nice to visit for it's ambience.
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