White cottage from a Japanese drama? A latte art café in Arashiyama, Kyoto with sweeping views

Text & Photos /Happy Cloud

Discovering % Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama in Arashiyama was actually an accident. If I hadn’t been taking a first-time visitor to Kyoto to the "Togetsukyo Bridge," I probably wouldn’t have found this café. And as I’ve mentioned before, food is all about serendipity—you meet when you’re meant to. A friend on Facebook said this is a shop from Hong Kong, and she originally recommended the one near Kiyomizu-dera Temple. But since I wanted to visit a café with an authentic Kyoto vibe, we temporarily passed on that one...

But unexpectedly, we ended up walking into their new shop in Arashiyama. Hahaha, what a coincidence—a connection with both the food and the shop owners. And just five minutes after we ordered our coffee and received it, the shop closed!!

That day, when we arrived at Togetsukyo Bridge, we were a bit disappointed due to the drizzling weather, the dim light, and the fact that it wasn’t the season for autumn foliage, making it hard to fully appreciate the beauty of Togetsukyo Bridge and Arashiyama. Walking along the Hozugawa River, we accidentally spotted this small white house glowing in the corner—it was a scene straight out of a Japanese drama, suddenly appearing right before our eyes. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if it was a shop or just a prop set for a photoshoot?? (because I happened to see someone holding a camera outside)

Driven by curiosity, we approached the little white house and were pleasantly surprised to find that it might be the café a friend had recommended. Hahaha, we laughed with my friend, and decided to go inside for a coffee!! The café is quite small, with a half-outdoor seating area and a section showcasing coffee from around the world. The main space consists of the counter and the coffee machine!! From this angle, you can see both the Hozugawa River and Togetsukyo Bridge right in front of you. I thought to myself: on a sunny day, this place must be absolutely stunning. If the coffee is good, I’ll definitely come back again!!

It’s said that % Arabica is famous for its "latte art," so we decided to order drinks that could be decorated with latte art. My friend and I ordered two hot lattes and waited after paying. The staff member, who was handsome and slim, with tied-up hair, a beard, and wearing a white shirt, gave off the image of a Japanese hipster in my mind, hahaha. I guessed this was a hipster café—but unfortunately, I don’t speak Japanese, so I couldn’t chat much. Every time this happens, I wish I could speak Japanese or had a friend who did, so I could hear more stories.

He first ground the coffee beans, then started making the coffee. The café uses an Italian espresso machine to extract the coffee, then adds milk to create latte art. With swift movements, while holding a paper cup in one hand and pouring milk with the other, a beautifully designed latte appeared right before our eyes!!

After the first cup, the same process quickly produced the second one!! It had been a while since I’d had a latte—I’ve recently gotten used to drinking pour-over coffee—but the rich foam was just as I remembered, and it looked like the milk had been well-steamed.

We took the coffee outside to find a spot to drink. I discovered that the decorative-looking trim in front of the shop was actually a row of outdoor seats. Paired with the scenery and the breeze, it made the coffee even better. The balance of coffee and milk aroma was just right—delicious!!

While sipping our coffee, the lights inside the shop gradually dimmed. Hahaha, it was closing time!! We were so lucky!!

As we drank our coffee and watched the sky darken, we said goodbye to Arashiyama with great coffee. It had been a while since I’d last been here. Though it’s a fairly common tourist spot, it’s still quite charming—and now there’s this café with such a wonderful view and delicious coffee. Looking forward to my next visit.

.................................................. To be continued

% Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama
Website:http://www.arabica.coffee/
Address: Japan, 0616-8385 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Sagatenryuji Komatsucho, 3 Chome‑47
Phone: +81 75-748-0057
Business Hours: 8:00–18:00

* More content please see -->Happy Cloud’s Travel Blog*

Delicious treats all day long
Download the “ETtoday News Cloud APP” for the latest food news →
iOS:https://goo.gl/rmIDdx
Android:https://goo.gl/XPe8Uj