Ginza 8-chome, near Shimbashi
Slowly Side Stories
The 'Origins' of the Town #39
Ginza 8-chome Chuo-dori. The bridge pillars of the 'Shimbashi' bridge, which once spanned the Shiodome River, remain even after the river was filled in. However, until 1947 (Showa 22), the north side of this 'Shimbashi' was 'Kyobashi-ku' (Chuo Ward), and the south side was 'Shiba-ku' (Minato Ward). Looking at old maps from the end of the Edo period, the area near Shimbashi in present-day Ginza 8-chome seems to have been called 'Shibaguchi Kinroku-cho' or 'Shibaguchi Konya-cho'.
Then, in 1911 (Meiji 44), the year this area was known as 'Minami Kinroku-cho,' the coffee shop 'Café Paulista' was founded (the founding location was 'Kyobashi-ku Minami-nabe-cho,' around present-day Ginza 7-chome). It closed temporarily due to the Great Kanto Earthquake, but reopened in 1970 (Showa 45) at its current location in Ginza 8-chome, and for over half a century, it has been bustling with many people enjoying its classic deliciousness. (From 'Tokyo Slowly² vol.2' published in October 2023)
Enjoying rich deliciousness in Ginza in autumn
Café Paulista
Ginza Main Store
Café Paulista was founded in 1911 (Meiji 44) near the current Kyojunsha Building in Ginza, with the aim of popularizing coffee produced by immigrants who had moved from Japan to Brazil. At the time, there were many newspaper companies such as Asahi and Yomiuri around Ginza, and it is said that many intellectuals who frequented those offices used the café as a base for their activities. In the literary world in particular, Kan Kikuchi, Shusei Tokuda, Koji Uno, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Mantaro Kubota, Haruo Sato, and Fumio Niwa were regular customers, and the name 'Café Paulista' appears in several of the writings they left behind. Although business was interrupted by the Great Kanto Earthquake, it resumed operations in 1970 (Showa 45) at its current location in Ginza 8-chome. In 1978 (Showa 53), John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who were staying at the Imperial Hotel, visited for three days and three nights in a row, and the coffee cup they signed at that time is said to be carefully kept in the company safe.
Such a 'Café Paulista' is famous for its homemade cakes served with coffee. This time, I had the classic 'Mont Blanc' and the 'Sacher,' a chocolate cake from Vienna. Both are elegant, classic-style cakes. The 'Mont Blanc' in particular creates a deep sweetness with a hint of coffee flavor in the smooth chestnut cream, and the domestic chestnut placed on top allows you to fully taste its original flavor, making the combination with coffee even richer and more delicious. While feeling the remnants of a profound Showa-era coffee shop, I enjoy the traditional deliciousness not found in recent cakes that prioritize appearance, in the Ginza of autumn. It's nice to have such an afternoon.
Café Paulista Ginza Main Store
Nagasaki Center Building, 8-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Tel: 03-3572-6160
Business Hours: 1st Floor Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00 (Food L.O. 19:00, Drink L.O. 19:30)
Sun/Holidays 11:30-19:00 (Food L.O. 18:00, Drink L.O. 18:30)
2nd Floor Mon-Sat 12:00-19:00 (Food L.O. 18:00, Drink L.O. 18:30)
Sun/Holidays 12:00-19:00 (Food L.O. 18:00, Drink L.O. 18:30)
Closed: Year-end and New Year holidays