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Drinking coffee in a classroom? A café opens in a former Kyoto elementary school for the local community

Published: 2026-09-24 👁 100 views
Last updated 2026-09-24 — The abandoned school building of “Kyoto Municipal Rissei Elementary School” sometimes hosts cultural and art events. “Traveling Coffee” originated from the 2015 Kyoto International Arts Festival and was initially just a presence alongside the festival. Later, due to efforts by local residents who campaigned to keep the café, “Traveling Coffee” was able to continue operating in the former elementary school.

The former Kyoto Municipal Rissei Elementary School, located along the Takase River in central Kyoto, was closed in 1993. Established in 1869, its school building was constructed in 1928. By that count, the existing structure has already stood for 90 years. When I arrived at the school gate by taxi, what I saw was silence all around.

Text and photos / Mirror Weekly

A small sign stood at the entrance, reading “Traveling Coffee.” Pushing open the school gate, stillness enveloped everything, yet upon closer listening, that quiet was tinged with a faint stir. I pushed open another door, and inside the classroom were several old school desks and chairs. Soft music echoed through the space, with the furniture facing a small open area in the middle of the school grounds where wild grass grew in disarray.

  1. What used to be the science lab has now been turned into a coffee space.
  2. The furniture inside is all from decommissioned school items.
  3. Sitting by the window, you can see the open space within the school grounds.
coffee coffee beans espresso geisha coffee latte cappuccino arabica robusta pour over cold brew

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