Kissatens -- faux European-style coffee houses -- are the birthplace of Kyoto's thriving cafe culture. The classic kissaten is retro in design: mirrors, dark paneling and elaborate light fixtures and replica paintings from the European masters. At Togenkyo in the north part of the city, the tables even have a little stand for a retro lighter. Dara Kan, who writes about Kyoto's cafes and restaurants on cafe blog Hitori Kyoto , adds that the kissaten functions a lot like a neighborhood bar. One thing's for sure: a kissaten "coffee ceremony" would be as quirky and eccentric as the cafes themselves.

Source: CNN November 21, 2016 00:50 UTC