[Summary] Explaining 'A World History of Cafes' so even elementary school students can understand (Book)

A World History of Cafes

Author: Nao Masunaga

You probably go to cafes with your family or drink coffee or juice at shops sometimes, right?

Actually, these familiar cafes have played a major role in shaping history around the world.

What exactly is a cafe?

Cafes have coffee, tea, and delicious sweets, and each shop has its own special atmosphere, interior, and philosophy (concept).

They are used in many situations, such as when you want to relax alone, talk with friends, or get some studying or homework done.

In this book, we will unravel the history of cafes by thinking of them as a combination of 'coffee, tea, sweets, and the place and interior'.

Let's look at world history through 'things'!

Some people might find it difficult to memorize many names and dates in history class.

However, if you focus on a single 'thing' like sugar, tea, chocolate, or coffee, you can jump across time and places to understand world history in a more fun way.

This book also looks at world history through the 'place' of the cafe and the 'things' enjoyed there.

Did cafes start in London?

This book considers London's 'coffeehouses' to be the beginning of the cafe.

There were habits of drinking coffee before that, but it was only for the wealthy.

However, London's coffeehouses were places where ordinary people enjoyed coffee daily, and from there, business, academic, and political discussions were born.

The Age of Discovery brought coffee, tea, and sugar!

Coffee, tea, and sugar, which we can get as a matter of course today, did not exist in Europe in the past.

These things came to Europe triggered by the 'Age of Discovery' that began in the mid-15th century.

Spain and Portugal explored the world by ship and brought back many 'things' from Africa, Asia, and the Americas to Europe.

A British trading company called the 'East India Company' made huge profits through 'triangular trade,' which transported slaves from Africa and sugar from the Americas to Europe.

Unfortunately, this era also had a side where many people suffered.

Coffee spread in Islamic countries

Coffee was originally drunk in Ethiopia, Africa.

It spread to Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and then throughout Islamic countries.

In particular, it is said that Islamic clerics (Sufis) drank coffee to stay awake during night rituals.

In the 16th century, many shops called 'kahvehane' where one could drink coffee were built in the great Ottoman Empire, and coffee culture developed even further.

London's coffeehouses were 'hubs of information'!

When a man named Pasqua Rosée opened the first coffeehouse in 17th-century London, it became incredibly popular in no time.

It is said that there were 3,000 coffeehouses in London in 1683, and 8,000 by 1714.

Why did they become so popular?

It's because coffee houses became 'public spaces' where everyone gathered to socialize and debate politics and academics, and they even gave birth to new businesses like 'insurance'.

'Tea' that changed British life

However, by the 18th century, the number of coffee houses in London began to gradually decrease.

Instead, the habit of drinking 'tea' spread among the upper classes in Britain.

It became fashionable to enjoy expensive Chinese tea in stylish tea sets.

This habit of drinking tea is deeply rooted in the lives of British people even today, hundreds of years later.

The Industrial Revolution and the worker's 'tea break'

In 18th-century Britain, many factories were built, and the 'Industrial Revolution' occurred, which greatly changed people's lives.

As many people began working in factories, they needed something to soothe their bodies and minds tired from long hours of labor.

This was the beginning of what we now call a 'tea break'.

In addition, cocoa and later 'solid chocolate' were born, enriching people's lives.
In Italy, for people who are too busy to even have time to drink coffee,

there is even an ultimate product called 'Pocket Coffee' which contains espresso inside chocolate.

Cafes that became the stage for the French Revolution

Cafes were also born in Paris, France, in the 17th century, becoming places where writers, artists, and philosophers gathered.

In particular, the oldest cafe in Paris, 'Le Procope,' was frequented by people like Rousseau and Voltaire, who spread new ways of thinking (called 'Enlightenment'), and they engaged in debates there.

It is said that their debates and the pamphlets read in cafes helped grow public opinion (everyone's views) criticizing the politics of the king at the time (King Louis XVI), eventually becoming one of the triggers for the French Revolution.

Russia's mysterious tea culture

In the vast country of Russia, a unique tea culture was born.

A special metal water boiler called a 'samovar' is used to brew tea.

Tea is served with sugar, honey, and a Russian-style jam called 'varenye'.

It seems the Russian way is not to put the varenye directly into the tea, but to eat it with a spoon while drinking the tea.

The 'Baumkuchen' that is familiar in Japan was actually spread in Japan by a German craftsman who became a prisoner of war during World War I.

'World Expos' where the world's technology and culture gather

By the 19th century, 'World Expos' (Expositions Universelles) where countries from around the world showcased their technology and culture began to be held frequently.

The first World Expo held in London in 1851 was a great success, and the proceeds were used to build the 'Victoria and Albert Museum'.

This museum was the first in the world to have a cafe attached to it.

A break room where customers could have tea and meals was created with beautiful decorations.

Luxurious Viennese Cafes and Sachertorte

In Vienna, the capital of Austria, cafes also developed in line with the hosting of the World's Fair.

The 'Viennese-style cafes,' characterized by luxurious chandeliers, marble tables, and modular Thonet chairs, were like palaces.

Vienna's famous chocolate cake, the 'Sachertorte,' was actually created in the 19th century by order of the great Austrian politician Metternich.

This Sachertorte also crossed the Alps and spread to Italy, where it is cherished under the name 'Sacher'.

The Turbulent 20th Century, Coffee, and Japan

In the 20th century, major wars that involved the entire world, such as 'World War I' and 'World War II,' occurred.

During the wars, the distribution of coffee beans stopped and food became scarce, making people's lives very difficult.

Amidst this, 'instant coffee' became popular among American soldiers.

Because it could be made easily just by pouring hot water, it became very popular even on the battlefield.

It is said that coffee first arrived in Japan around the end of the 17th century, brought by the Dutch who were at Dejima in Nagasaki.

During the Meiji era, Japan's first coffee shop, 'Kahi-sakan,' opened in Tokyo, but unfortunately, it closed soon after.

However, in the Taisho era, many 'cafes' and 'jun-kissa' (pure coffee shops) opened in Tokyo and Kyoto, and a unique Japanese cafe culture blossomed.

Kyoto's 'Shinshindo' was a cafe created by a founder who had studied in France, wanting to provide authentic bread and coffee to Japanese students, and it is still loved by many people today.

Post-war Reconstruction and the Arrival of 'Starbucks'

After World War II, the world changed significantly. Instant coffee became even more widespread, produced in large quantities and consumed by many people. This is called the 'First Wave'.

Then, in 1971, 'Starbucks' was born in Seattle, USA. A person who was moved by the Italian way of drinking coffee (espresso)

arranged it in an American style and spread it, achieving great success worldwide. This is called the 'Second Wave'.

The 'Present' and 'Future' of Cafes

Nowadays, there is an increase in 'specialty coffee' shops that focus on the types of coffee beans and brewing methods, as well as 'Third Wave' cafes that carefully brew one cup at a time.

On the other hand, 'chain' cafes that are found all over the world, like Starbucks, are also familiar presences to everyone.

Interestingly, while Starbucks has been a huge success worldwide, it was difficult for stores to increase in Italy.

This is because the culture of standing and drinking a strong coffee called 'espresso' at traditional shops called 'bars' was very strong in Italy.

In Italy, you can stand and drink an espresso in a luxurious space for just about 1.5 euros (approx. 250 yen), so coffee is considered a 'drink equal for everyone.'

The 'baguette,' a staple of French breakfast, is also an important food for the French people, to the extent that it is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Fashion brands opening cafes is also a recent trend. Famous high-end brands are operating stylish cafes and restaurants to express their own worldviews.

There, you can enjoy desserts and drinks that are beautiful to look at.

Cafes have always been close to people's lives while changing their appearance with the times.

They are places where not only delicious drinks and sweets, but also many encounters, ideas, and history have been born.

Next time you go to a cafe, if you think about the history hidden in the shop's atmosphere and sweets, your usual cafe time might become even more enjoyable!