Coffee Shop Days: These Are the Places That Were Around Back Then

This is "The Age of Kissaten: There Were Such Shops Then" (2020) by Tetsuo Hayashi.

Why were people drawn to kissaten? The unique spaces and the time that flowed within them became birthplaces for literature and art for writers and artists. Beginning with the history of coffee and tea, this book traces the evolution of kissaten through the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras. It's a unique cultural history that delves into the charm of kissaten, which are now becoming an endangered species, overshadowed by chain cafes. This is a significantly revised paperback edition of the hardcover book, including numerous illustrations.

If you've noticed a difference between "katakana cafe" and "kanji kissaten," this is a book you should definitely read. Personally, I also find it interesting that coffee, as a medicine, has ties to drugstores and pharmacies (Ammel).