Coffee Diary: Omotesando, Tokyo (free postcard)
I still remember the last time I had outside world coffee: at Bo’s, two days before the quarantine started, sometime back in March. I’ve been back in Manila for a few weeks now, alone in the apartment, just a 2-min walk away from that same coffee shop, a minute if I speed walk – but I dare not go out of my unit for things I can make at home.
way to my heart: coffee and sunsets
I lost count of the days it’s been in quarantine. I lost count of the cups of coffee I brewed and let sit in the fridge. It’s one of the things I’ve grown to enjoy doing everyday. But I still miss the cafe ambiance. I miss the repetitive music that has grown on me. I miss the baristas’ small talk. I miss getting carried away and forgetting to tell them that I want my coffee iced and not hot. I miss the internal work countdown I have whenever I’m not lucky enough to sit myself near an outlet. I miss the familiar faces I see – the people who I never talked to, but in habit nod to, like in sync saying ‘yes, I see you have work again today you dare not do at home.’ I miss these things I barely gave notice to before.
I’ve been working from home even before this “work from home” situation, but really, I miss my small, intimate coffee shops. I hope they’re doing okay. I hope to someday see the same faces I used to. On other work things, I’ve had a few commissions lately related to stores and cafes. So I unearthed photos from past trips for references. While I long for the day it’s safe to go around again, for now, this will do.
Drew these set as a study. Reference photos from my coffee day in Omotesando, Tokyo in 2018. Decided to list down the cafes here because I never got to writing down travel guides anymore like I used to. So here’s a little coffee run.
Omotesando’s just a station away from the famous Harajuku. In contrast though, this place is much more quiet. A very hipster and chill neighborhood – same vibes as Thonglor in BKK. Cafes, art galleries, and for some reason, salons, line up the streets. And some have these little gardens in front, or a soft girl vs woodland fairy aesthetic, all serving some irl Pinterest shit.
I stayed the longest in Maruyama Coffee, typing things in my drafts for ~memories~ as I cool down from the summer heat. Below’s the map of cafes listed above. They’re all just a few hundred meters away from each other, very walkable. And tbh, if you drink that much coffee, you might as well walk off the caffeine high.
Idk if this list will serve any purpose to anyone, seeing no one in their right mind will dare to travel for leisure any time soon. But it’s good to be reminded that there was a time we could do that – and there will be a time again when we can.
While we wait and long for those days, may your home coffee (brewed, delivered, or 3-in-1) keep you alive, aware, and fighting through these rough times.
Downloadable Postcard
Drew this fanart for fun – I rearranged my art print wall at home and drew a few things to add to it, including this scene from Tune In For Love. Download the printable postcard here or in the link below.
