A renovated house in the classic Kyoto machiya style, featuring one of the essential attributes of a well-off Japanese residence—a tsuboniwa inner courtyard (and even a small garden in front of the entrance). Unlike many houses of this style, where the first floor is traditionally used as a commercial space and the owners live on the second floor, here the second floor is used as a dining area, allowing the establishment to accommodate up to 50 people at once. In addition to the second-floor dining area and the order counter with a beautiful Victoria espresso machine on the first floor, there is an excellent cocktail bar specialising in coffee-based drinks located in the back of the building, accessible only by reservation.
It’s worth saying a few words about the location: this café is situated on a picturesque little side street leading to the Ichinenzaka, the starting point of the pilgrimage to Kiyomizudera Temple, one of the most visited tourist spots in Kyoto. How did the owners manage to open a specialty coffee shop in such a crowded (and therefore expensive) area, and with such an unusually grand scale for an establishment the primary purpose of which, strictly speaking, isn’t making a lot of money in the first place?
Of course, the reputation of Unir, one of the pioneers of the specialty coffee movement in Kyoto, plays a role, but there’s a little secret: the renovation of the machiya was carried out by the American café chain Dandelion Chocolate, which specialises in craft chocolate (or, in full accordance with our definition, 'specialty cocoa'). They opened their Kyoto location in April 2018, but after less than two years, the café fell victim to the pandemic. Eventually, the lease rights were transferred to Unir, who had been long supplying Dandelion with coffee beans. Thus, in addition to the interior, they also 'inherited' the concept of a VIP bar (the previous tenant had experimented with cocoa-based alcoholic drinks).
The word 'senses' in the café's name reflects its concept—striving to give visitors the opportunity to experience specialty coffee with all their senses. Here, you can enjoy coffee made from beans that are the epitome of specialty—small auction lots, including rare 'Geisha' from the world’s best producers. A perfect opportunity to combine a pilgrimage to Kiyomizudera with the tasting of truly exclusive coffee!
