6 Retro Cafes in Tokyo With Tasty and Photogenic Cream Sodas

In recent years, Japanese retro cafes have been attracting attention. Nostalgic-looking interiors and unique menu items, including cream soda, have been a hit among the youth. This article features six old-fashioned cafes in Tokyo where you can enjoy delicious, photogenic cream sodas.

・Cream Soda Floats, a Nostalgic Dessert

Cream soda is a beverage commonly found in Japanese coffee shops. It's typically a melon-flavored soda topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

In recent years, unique and innovative versions of cream soda have gained popularity. So, it was only inevitable that these photogenic cream sodas―with melted ice cream inside colorful, fizzy soda―are worthy of sharing on social media.

Shiseido Parlour and the Origin of Cream Soda

In 1902, the Japanese company Shiseido, mainly selling pharmaceutical products in Tokyo's Ginza district, began offering carbonated beverages and ice cream inside its pharmacy.

Japan's first soda water and ice cream―a relatively new combination then―became a specialty at Shiseido. This also led to a soda fountain forming inside the pharmacy premises.

This was the origin of the Shiseido Parlour. Japan's first cream soda was concocted here, and it remains a popular menu item 100 years later.

・6 Tokyo Cafes Serving Excellent Cream Sodas

This article features six memorable coffee shops in Tokyo. At each spot, you can feel the atmosphere of the Showa Era (1926-1989) and sample tasty, photogenic cream sodas.

The locations are recommended by our writer, who loves visiting coffee shops.

1. Coffee Fuji: Cream Soda Resembling the Snow-Capped Peak of Mount Fuji

Coffee Fuji sits in the basement of the New Shimbashi Building near JR Shinbashi Station. It opened for business in 1971.

The shop was named Fuji because the grandfather of the now third-generation owner, Mr. Ichihara, was born in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The Mount Fuji picture adorning the wall inside the shop was carefully selected among over 3,000 photos.

In his hometown of Fujinomiya, all of the scenery showcases the majestic Mount Fuji. So, with this in mind, they chose this particular photo featuring a panoramic view of Mount Fuji, as seen from above.

Cream Soda: 700 yen after tax

Coffee Fuji's cream soda has a striking blue color reminiscent of a snow-capped Mount Fuji in early spring. In addition to the ice cream, it comes with a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream!

In the summer, a Mount Fuji-colored shaved ice makes its limited-time appearance. Many people flock to the shop in search of this cool, refreshing treat.

While enjoying the sight of Mount Fuji throughout the cafe, please try one of their exquisite cream sodas.

Coffee Fuji

2. Showa Retro Cafe Sepia: Sip a Fantasy-Like Melon Cream Soda

From a young age, the shop owner Ms. Hasezawa loved romantic young girls' comics (shojo manga). She dreamed of opening a coffee shop―the kind you might find in one of these comic books.

She wanted a warm, inviting cafe housed in a two-story wooden building in the Shibamata neighborhood, her birthplace in Tokyo. The result is Showa Retro Cafe Sepia, a dream-like coffee shop that looks like a scene straight out of a girls' comic book.

Pudding and Cream Soda Set: 1,200 yen after tax

Of course, the shop's recommended menu item is an old-fashioned melon cream soda. The vanilla ice cream has a full, rich flavor. Each bite, accompanied by a sip of soda, goes down smoothly and is a refreshing, irresistible experience.

The cafe has a retro interior and exterior perfectly fit for Shibamata's friendly working-class neighborhood. Sipping a cream soda here feels like you've returned to the Showa period.

Showa Retro Cafe Sepia

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