早稲田カフェ探訪　あなたの”行きつけ”が見つかる

Whether it's lost in thought alone, chatting about trivial things with friends, or immersing yourself in reading or studying, the shops you frequent many times during your student days gradually accumulate these seemingly insignificant moments, eventually becoming cherished memories.

This time, we'll introduce some unique cafes and coffee shops in the Waseda area that you'll want to visit again and again. Why not find your own favorite spot where you can be yourself?

An illustration by Meri Iizuka depicting a walk through the streets of Waseda.

With Coffee Shop Enthusiast Meri Iizuka,
A Journey to Find a New Favorite Spot

Meri Iizuka visits coffee shops and shares her experiences there through sketches and essays

This time, we walked around the Waseda area with Iizuka.
We'll be visiting cafes and coffee shops that catch our eye.

—You've visited many cafes, mainly in Tokyo. What are your impressions of the Waseda area?

It’s an area where, while some shops—like "cafe GOTO" where you spent your student daysdays still remain, new shops are also opening up. There are also more and more shops that roast their own coffee beans in-house, like "Cohaze Coffee" and "Sanae," which we'll be visiting today.

—How often did you frequent coffee shops during your student days?

During my student days, I tended to repeatedly visit the same few cafes that I frequented. I'm the kind of person who feels secure when I have a "regular spot" I always go to. After becoming a working adult and starting to share information about cafes, I realized that some people enjoy "visiting" cafes, so to deepen my understanding of cafes, I began visiting and "observing" various cafes. I envy today's students who have the energy, stamina, time, and information to visit many cafes.

#01

Looking for a "regular spot"

A Cafe Where a Single Cup of Coffee Can Connect You With a Stranger

Cohaze Coffee

The first place we visited was "Cohaze Coffee," located on Okuma Street, a 5-minute walk from the main gate Waseda Campus. It's a specialty coffee shop that opened in 2021 and roasts its own beans. The shop has a somewhat nostalgic feel, and inside, students are casually spending their time reading books or chatting.

The coffee shop has a woody, inviting atmosphere, but it also has a gallery corner, shelves of manga and picture books, and announcements for rakugo (traditional Japanese storytelling) performances, which gives it a unique character. The manga aren't just for decoration; you can see that the staff carefully selected them, and they blend in naturally with the space, which is wonderful!

The illustrations on display were drawn by the shop's staff. As for the manga, that's just my hobby, but I think both contribute to the unique character of this shop.

Takashi Tanikawa, owner of Kohaze Coffee Shop

-- Ryuji Tanikawa, owner of Cohaze Coffee's Waseda store. While running the main store in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, he wanted to open a store in Waseda, the neighborhood where he lives, and so he opened the Waseda store as his second location.

Tanikawa is quite well-known to me, having been featured in a manga on social media (later published as the manga "Today's Shop Manager"), and his shop itself was even made into a movie called "Coffee After All." I visited his Shimokitazawa shop several times before it moved, and since I'm the type of person who likes to spend time alone in peace, I always used the unique terrace seating... I'm so happy to meet you today.

The Waseda store might be a good fit for even the most reserved customers. Located in a student district with many places for conversation, we opened it with the hope that customers would also value their personal time.

That's great. If the only seats available are within the owner's line of sight, you feel like you have to talk to them (laughs). But actually, you don't have to talk.

The shop is divided into two spaces. The entrance-side floor, where the counter is located, is an open space where you can enjoy conversations with the staff and friends. The back floor is rather quiet and suitable for reading or studying. No one has defined it this way, but everyone naturally ends up sitting there.

Tanikawa-san and Iizuka-san talking at Kohaze Coffee

I think some people find it difficult to concentrate on reading or studying in quiet spaces like libraries. A coffee shop with a bit of human activity might be just right. By the way, Tanikawa, can you tell if someone doesn't seem to want to be approached?

I can kind of tell by instinct. Conversely, I can also tell who wants to talk, so if I sense that "this kid seems a little lonely today," I'll just strike up a conversation. Basically, it's a flat relationship where "whoever wants to talk does the talking." I myself wear a loose T-shirt and weird glasses so that I can interact with people without any tension (laughs). Many kids come four or five times a week, and there are also cases where regulars become friends with each other and come to hang out together.

I've seen many online reviews mentioning how the space is "easy to use for everyday purposes," and now I understand why. Each seat offers a different way to spend your time.

Cards that Foster Gentle Connections: Pay it Forward

Cohaze Coffee is also famous for its "Pay It Forward Cards," right? Are those the cards posted on the wall near the entrance?

Yes. I started it just for fun at first, but as I kept my old cards, I ended up with so many that they filled up a thick binder.

A card that pays it forward posted on the wall — The "Pay It Forward Card" is a system that allows you to give a free cup of coffee, redeemed with accumulated points, to someone else. You can specify a particular person, such as "To XX, a Waseda University student," or you can broaden the recipient's list with a condition like "To anyone studying hard for a qualification." When the recipient requests it when ordering, they can receive the coffee.

Is this based on the pay it forward concept from overseas?

Originally, in other countries, it's a common practice to treat someone to "three lattes." Japan has a weak culture of giving and people tend to dislike being treated to something, so I thought it wouldn't work and adapted it into a point card system. The notebooks in the store are filled with thank-you notes for the pay it forward cards and messages to friends.

Each message has a distinct student-town feel to it. The relaxed, unforced connections likely contribute to the comfortable atmosphere.

Recommended By the Shop Owner,
One Drink and One Plate

The strong, dark-roasted coffee pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the granulated sugar on the cinnamon toast. Both are topped with whipped cream, but it doesn't feel heavy at all.

The whipped cream has a high milk fat content of 40%, but the sweetness is carefully adjusted. There are cases where students who can't drink coffee start with Viennese coffee and eventually become able to drink black coffee.

There's a large machine at the entrance; I assume this is where you roast the beans.

The process of roasting the beans after receiving an order. — Blended coffee (380 yen)

We've brought back the same machine we used back when we were at our Shimokitazawa store. Here, we roast the beans on the spot after receiving an order. You can choose from 7 levels of roasting and 9 levels of grinding, so you can get the perfect roast to your liking.

It's rare these days to find a coffee shop that offers a dark roast version of their standard blended coffee.

Light roasts have been popular in recent years, but I chose a dark roast because that's my personal preference. The beans are a blend of Brazilian, Colombian, and Indonesian beans.

While maintaining the restraint of a serious establishment by limiting the menu and offering in-house roasted coffee, it also has playful touches, such as the option to substitute ice cream for the whipped cream on cinnamon toast, which shows its generous and welcoming nature.

If you make something too unique, it becomes hard to use, doesn't it? I want to cherish the idea of people just dropping in, having a coffee, and leaving without thinking about anything. We're also doing a pretty good job with the prices, with our regular blended coffee at 380 yen.

Is it okay if I stay for a long time with just one cup of coffee? Back in my student days, I often found myself chatting for hours without realizing it...

Although we include a note asking customers to reorder after two hours, we don't actually force them to. It's more like, "Please order again when you remember!" (laughs).

Meri's Cafe File:
Cohaze Coffee

A sketch of Kohaze Coffee by Meri Iizuka.

[Store Information]
Address: 1-9-13 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-6233-9030
Access: 4-minute walk from Waseda Station on the Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line)
Business Hours: Monday to Saturday 10:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Payment Methods: Cash OK, Cards NOT accepted, Electronic money NOT accepted, QR codes NOT accepted.
Website: www.cohaze-coffee.com
Instagram: @wasedanocohaze

A Cafe Where You Can Relax However You Like in a Space That Retains Traces of Everyday Life

Sanae

--The second place we'll visit, "Sanae," is a coffee shop located right in front of the south gate of Waseda Campus. It opened as a coffee shop in 2016, but since its founding in 1950, it has been a popular mahjong parlor among students.

During my student days, I belonged to the "Manga Research Club" and the "Waseda Rakugo and Performing Arts Research Club" (both officially recognized student clubs), and I remember other members often saying, "I'm at Sanae." So I have a strong image of it being a mahjong parlor, and I'm curious about how it became a coffee shop.

--Upon entering the shop, you are greeted by a bar counter. Sanae, which also functions as a bar, has a sophisticated, grown-up atmosphere.

The weathered ceiling beams and the mosaic-patterned frosted glass, which are rarely seen these days, give the place a lived-in feel reminiscent of an old farmhouse. There are other cafes that have retro furniture, but Sanae seems a little different. There's something about its retro style that feels essential.

-- Masaaki Udagawa, the owner of Sanae, is an alumnus of Waseda University (graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics in 1982). He gave us a tour of the shop.

Actually, this is the house where I was born and raised. The first floor was a mahjong parlor, and the second floor was our living space. I graduated from Waseda University and worked for an advertising agency for many years, but my mother passed away about 15 years ago. I took early retirement and took over the mahjong parlor. But students these days don't play mahjong, do they? So I thought, "Let's serve coffee and alcohol too," and reopened the business as a coffee shop, bar, and mahjong parlor all in one.

That explains why there are remnants of the past. When I go to a shop, the first thing I do is look at the menu, and I'm impressed by how well-organized Sanae's menu is. It mainly consists of coffee, soft drinks, cakes, and hot sandwiches, and it feels like they've carefully selected things that are perfect for spending time here. Is there a shop that you used as a model?

Udagawa-san and Iizuka-san talking about Sanae

Long ago, my uncle ran a coffee shop that roasted its own beans in nearby Tsurumaki-cho, and I always admired it. There were many other coffee shops around Waseda as well, and when I was young, I often visited them with my father. Before retiring, when I was vaguely thinking about opening a cafe of my own, I traveled around the country visiting coffee shops. I kept telling myself, “If I’m going to run a coffee shop, I want to serve truly great coffee.”

So you liked coffee, huh?

What I really wanted to do was open a mahjong parlor, but once I actually opened it, I was struck by how times had changed, with people taking tiles in the reverse order and students playing mahjong on their smartphones while sitting around the table (laughs). The mahjong parlor closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a coffee shop became my main business.

A Place Where Studnets Can Gather Freely

Sanae, located near Waseda Campus, now functions as a popular hangout spot for many students.

You can use a four-person table by yourself. There's no time limit for your stay; you can stay from morning till night if you like. We even have students who come in as a pair and spend nine hours chatting and playing games at the counter. Many of our regulars use a table with their friends, but they come and go to classes and come back, so we often forget who ordered what (laughs).

It's like using it as a club room (laughs). I remember spending time in Waseda University Student Center or cafes between classes when I was a student. I also like being able to choose my seat freely, because I tend to feel self-conscious when assigned seats.

My own family home was a hangout for students, so when I came home from university, there was always someone there (laughs). I think it's a habit of university students to gather in one place, so I wanted Sanae to be that kind of place too.

Recommended By the Shop Owner,
One Drink and One Plate

While ham and cheese are the classic fillings for sandwiches, Sanae's bologna sausage has a more sophisticated flavor, which shows their commitment to quality. It pairs well with the refreshing taste of melon soda. Many traditional coffee shops don't offer cream soda, but it's great to have more options for people who don't drink coffee. It reminded me of drinking cream soda at my grandfather's coffee shop when I was a child and couldn't drink coffee. As for coffee, they have some intriguing menu items like "Sanae Specialty Coffee" and "Pre-Exam Blend Coffee."

Sanae's coffee — Sanae Specialty Coffee (600 yen)

Our standard "Sanae Specialty Coffee" is a blend of beans from Brazil, Colombia, and Kenya. It's a medium-dark roast that anyone can enjoy, while our "Exam Blend Coffee" uses Brazilian Robusta beans, which are high in caffeine, making it perfect for studying for exams. We also keep 12-13 other types of beans in stock and offer a different original coffee each month.

Is there a reason why they serve high-quality coffee in a student district?

College students are, in many ways, still in the process of becoming adults, aren’t they?Whether it’s coffee, alcohol, or even mahjong, it’s important to learn about these things gradually. You can’t really grow if your attitude is simply, “Anything is fine as long as it’s cheap.” I want students to learn what the basics before they go out into society. That’s why I brew each cup of coffee by hand and pay close attention to the beans I use.

Is it because of that sentiment that you choose to wear authentic clothing like a collared shirt and tie?

That's right. I'm working pretty hard (laughs). In a student town like Waseda, regular customers change every four years. I get to meet lots of students while watching each one grow. Even though I'm getting older, my customers are always around 20 years old. Talking with students is the best.

Meri's Cafe File:
Sanae

[Store Information]
Address: 1-102 Totsuka-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-6265-9454
Access: 4-minute walk from Waseda Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line
Business Hours: Monday to Saturday 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Last order 7:30 PM)
Sundays and public holidays: 13:00 - 19:00 (last order 18:30)
Closed on: the 2nd Wednesday and the 4th Thursday
Payment Methods: Cash ○ Card ○ Electronic money ○ QR code ○
Website: waseda-sanae.com
Instagram: @wasedasanae