First Machiya-Style Starbucks Opens in a Century-Old Tea House

By MOOK Scenic Spots Shun / Photos by Starbucks Japan

As one of the world’s leading coffee brands, Starbucks continues to surprise customers with new innovations. The style of its stores is also designed based on local cultural vibes, creating many distinctive branches tailored to different regions around the globe. This summer, Starbucks Japan is set to open yet another new branch—this time in the historic area near Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. The brand has transformed a century-old traditional machiya (townhouse) into its first-ever machiya-style café, which officially opened on June 30.

Strolling through the ancient capital of Kyoto, you’ll see wooden houses that exude the charm of traditional machiya living, filled with historical elegance. The Starbucks Kyoto Ninen-zaka Yasaka Chaya Store is the world’s first branch where customers can enjoy coffee while sitting on tatami mats, elegantly blending Eastern and Western, as well as old and new, cultural elements.