Kyoto’s legendary nightclub World Kyoto opened its daytime cafe, Sekai Soko. Behind a traditional wooden machiya-townhouse awaits a posh, renovated urban warehouse.
In Kyoto City, with a population of nearly 1.5 million, a nightclub always means “World Kyoto.” We (and I used to) say “World,” when we refer to the nightclub. There are several other nightclubs in Kyoto City, of course, but World Kyoto somehow stands out the most. World Kyoto in Kyoto City is almost like Berghain in Berlin, Germany (I mean, when we need to name one in Kyoto City, we pick this).
A logo of Sekai Soko.
Sekai Soko, translated as “world warehouse” in Japanese, is a cafe run by the team behind World Kyoto. They renovated a warehouse hidden back of a traditional machiya-townhouse. And then, the cafe, Sekai Soko was born.
The frontage of the machiya-townhouse.
Past a passageway beyond a Japanese noren-curtain with the logo is Sekai Soko.
The exterior of Sekai Soko.
Beyond the passageway is the former warehouse cafe, Sekai Soko. Inside Sekai Soko, there are a bar counter and a dining area. It has the second floor with instagramable and thorough-white decor (which wasn’t open when I visited).
Inside Sekai Soko.
The bar counter, left, the dining room, right.
A view from behind the bar counter.
Sekai Soko’s menus are paired-down and bilingual, on which says “cashless only” in English. The menus cover from “Chill Out,” a CBD can drink, to Roku, a Japanese craft gin. Coffee items are (obviously) Sekai Soko’s signature items. An Italian bicerin on the coffee team seems to successfully add a kick to the menus and cafe. Sekai Soko offers snacks such as an exquisite, slightly bigger than bite-size cake, a French pastry canelé, etc.
“BLEND DARK” on the menu. Strong, aromatic, and tasty.
A sexy coffee for ¥600/$4.60 at such a sexy cafe in Kyoto City is pleasantly average. If I’m coming across a Starbucks on a street in need of grabbing a coffee, which only costs ¥350/$2.70 – ¥480/$3.70, I won’t hesitate to keep walking and come here and pay double for the same deal. It’s worth it.
Sekai Soko’s selection of alcoholic drinks are also cool but the price might make me walk back downtown in search of a legitimate bar, if at night. After all, Sekai Soko is a hipster hangout cafe for a daytime chill-out. FYI: Sekai Soko is only 850 meters/1.5 miles away from the nearest Starbucks.
Sekai Soko | 144 Sujiyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 〒600-8061, Japan
Blend Dark: ¥600 / $4.60 / £3.80 / €4.30
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Sekai Soko | 144 Sujiyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 〒600-8061, Japan
