Kintsugi and caffeine from Coffee Bar Sajiki

Asakusa: Home to Sensoji Temple and its majestic Kaminarimon Gate; this neighborhood conjures images of bustling crowds, kimono-clad tourists, busy rickshaws and incense wafting from the temple grounds. But Asakusa is more than just its famous attractions – there’s a hidden depth to this cultural playground that you’ll find in every nook, cranny and alley.

Located on the quiet shopping street of Hisago-dori, Coffee Bar Sajiki is not only committed to providing delicious coffee, but also to promoting culture. Located in the same building as the Asakusa Kuno Club Hotel and the Asakusa Autumn Theater, this store is famous for hosting traditional Japanese performing arts such as rakugo, nagasa, and wadaiko drums. The store positions itself as a public center, attracting visitors from hotels and hotels. The locals, especially the charming old ladies who frequent the nearby theater. In fact, the name “Sajiki” was inspired by theater, referring to the premium seats in traditional Japanese theaters. The coffee bar provides a welcoming space for all visitors to exchange stories over delicious drinks and pastries.

For everyone Kintsugi

Sajiki offers more than just refreshments. The cafe occasionally hosts exhibitions featuring traditional art forms, such as ink paintings and live ikebana performances. It also welcomes instructors who hold workshops, as well as local artists and creators who sell their wares at pop-up shops hosted at the café. Details of these and other events are posted on Sajiki’s Instagram, a must-follow for creative coffee lovers.

The cafe’s shelves are decorated with books, pottery, statues and artwork, while movie and theater posters decorate the walls. The current theme, “Kintsugi is Literature,” turns the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and gold into a workshop experience that anyone can enjoy. Typically, the paint takes several days to dry; however, this workshop broke with tradition and used food-safe glue and specially formulated putty to fill the cracks. This adjustment allows the repaired pieces to dry faster, so participants can take their creations home as souvenirs that day.

Coach Yuki Ohtani, also known as “Ms. Kintsugi,” divides her life between Japan and England. Scattered around the table are her kintsugi collection—a cream pitcher used as a brush holder, a Japanese teacup refinished with fragments of antique British pottery and another decorated with a small Union Jack flag.

“Kintsugi is more than just repairing a broken plate or cup,” she explains. “It’s also a meditative experience.” It embodies the principle of wabi-sabi, which is to accept flaws rather than hide them.

“Kintsugi is all about repairing something that’s broken and making the cracks beautiful in your own way,” she says, running her fingers over a line of fading gold paint. “It’s about embracing the brokenness and turning every crack into something more valuable, something with its own story.”

Sip seasonal beers

Even if time does not allow you to attend a seminar, for lovers of coffee, culture and tranquility, it is worth going to Coffee Bar Sajiki. The store prides itself on using high-quality coffee beans, with seasonal specialties such as Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Costa Rican La Candelilla Honey set to hit stores in September. The cafe also offers rich iced coffee, brewed with a delicate Asakusa blend that has the perfect balance of bitterness.
Whether you prefer a classic latte or a rich affogato, Sajiki’s espresso options perfectly complement those quieter moments, like when you’re working on your kintsugi masterpiece. For the dairy-free crowd, oat milk is also available to ensure everyone feels at home. If coffee isn’t enough, Sajimu also has a bar serving craft vodka, whiskey and gin from across Japan.

More information

Address: 1st Floor, Kokono Club, 2-16-2 Asakusa, Taito District
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9am to 11pm (last order 10:30pm); Sunday 9am to 9pm (last order 8:30pm); happy hour 6pm to 8 p.m.
Price: Coffee starts from 430 yen

*Free Wi-Fi and power sockets available.

For information on events and workshops, follow Coffee Bar Sajiki on Instagram: @coffee_bar_sajiki. Find Yuki Otani, Kintsugi Lady on Instagram @kintsugilady.

Related posts