喫茶店
kissaten[kʲisːa̠tẽ̞ɴ]
The English phrase "coffee shop" is translated into Japanese as 喫茶店 (kissaten).
喫茶店 refers to a small cafe or establishment where people go to drink coffee and eat light snacks. It is often used to describe places that have a nostalgic or Showa-era atmosphere.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 喫茶店 is composed of 喫 (to consume or drink), 茶 (tea) and 店 (shop), literally meaning "tea-drinking shop."
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between 喫茶店 and the loanword カフェ. While 喫茶店 typically refers to traditional, often retro-style Japanese coffee shops, カフェ is used for more modern, Western-style cafes and is more common among younger generations.
How do you pronounce it?
kissaten
Did you know?
- Some retro 喫茶店 operate as 'jazz cafes' where talking is discouraged and guests are expected to listen to vinyl records in silence.
- In a traditional 喫茶店, you might encounter a 'morning service' where ordering a simple coffee automatically includes free thick-cut toast and a boiled egg.
- The 'Master' マスター is the common term for the owner-barista of a 喫茶店, implying a level of craftsmanship and personal connection with regulars.
Examples in context
- 喫茶店に行きたい？Do you want to go to a coffee shop?This sentence is useful for asking if someone wants to go to a coffee shop.Tatoeba #10550428 by small_snow, translation #10550404 by CK
- 私は喫茶店に入った。I entered a coffee shop.This sentence is useful for describing the act of entering a coffee shop.Tatoeba #1792802 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #1800023 by Bah_Dure
- 母は喫茶店をしています。Mother has a coffee shop.This sentence is useful for describing someone who owns or operates a coffee shop.Tatoeba #83011 by Kaede, translation #320705 by CN
- 失礼ですが、近くの喫茶店はどこですか？Excuse me, where is the nearest coffee shop?
- あそこにコーヒーショップがありますよ。There's a coffee shop over there.
- 一緒にコーヒーショップに行きませんか？Would you like to go to a coffee shop together?
- いいね！じゃあ、近くの喫茶店で待ち合わせしましょう。Sounds good! Let's meet at the nearby coffee shop.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are walking through a city center on a weekend afternoon.
- 美咲 Misakiこの近くに、おしゃれな喫茶店はありますか？Kono chikaku ni, oshare na kissaten wa arimasu ka?Is there a stylish coffee shop near here?
- 健太 Kentaはい、あそこに古い喫茶店がありますよ。Hai, asoko ni furui kissaten ga arimasu yo.Yes, there is an old coffee shop over there.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、あそこに入ってみませんか？Kenta-san, asoko ni haitte mimasen ka?Kenta, why don't we try going in there?
- 健太 Kentaいいですね。行きましょう。Ii desu ne. Ikimashou.That sounds good. Let's go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 喫茶店, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
