Japan’s first registered cultural property coffee shop – brimming with Baroque style

Photo & Text /Kavanagh

Shijo Karasuma is bustling with crowds and full of energy. Aside from shopping, this area is also home to many renowned Kyoto coffee shops, such as “Tsukiji” and “Sokure,” which we’ve introduced before. Unlike the trendy new coffee shops that have opened in recent years, these long-established cafes lack bright lights and modern décor but are filled with retro charm and Showa-era nostalgia.

François Café is a representative of nostalgic coffee shops. Established in 1934 (Showa 9), François Café has a history of 80 years. The site was originally a traditional Kyoto townhouse, which was renovated into its current form by the founder, Masakazu Tachino, in 1940. The name “François” is taken from the French painter Jean-François Millet. The founder, Masakazu Tachino, who had studied at an art school in his youth, felt strongly about the prevalence of militarism in Japan at the time and decided to establish a coffee shop as a base for spreading anti-militarist and socialist ideas. Millet’s works, known for depicting pastoral scenes of farming life, carry subtle socialist undertones and belong to the Barbizon School, which Tachino greatly admired. Hence, he named the café “François.”

François Café is located in a small alley leading from Shijo Karasuma toward Shijo Ohashi Bridge (near the Takase River). As someone who often strolls around here, I had never noticed this alley until I made a special trip to visit François Café. Upon entering the alley, you can immediately see François Café.

François Café is a two-story wooden building. On January 31, 2003, it was registered as a tangible cultural property of Japan, making it the first coffee shop in the country to be designated as a cultural asset.

Push open the door and step inside to find an interior space full of nostalgic charm. The décor of François Café is based on the Baroque style popular in Europe during the 17th century, themed as a “luxury ocean liner style.” The walls are adorned with many works of art, and the café’s most distinctive feature is its lofty white dome ceiling.

The interior is divided into two sections. The area near the entrance, shown in the previous photo, is the smoking section. After informing the staff that we were non-smokers, we were led to the non-smoking section on the other side.

MENU.

We ordered the Fresh Crème (coffee with fresh cream) for 550 yen.

Not only is the interior of François Café beautiful, but even the cup and plate set used for serving coffee is lovely and elegant.

The Fresh Crème (coffee with fresh cream) – after pouring the cream and letting it settle, it looks just like a luxurious dessert. It’s really delicious. I recommend trying it without sugar first to enjoy the original flavor of the coffee, then adjusting the sweetness to your preference.

【François Café】
Business Hours: 10:00–23:00 (last order at 20:30).
Closed: Open every day (closed on December 31 and January 1).
Access: Get off at the “Shijo Karasuma” bus stop and walk for three minutes.
Address: 103 Kamigyo-cho, Karasuma-dori, Naka-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture.