Danbara Starbucks in Hiroshima

View at night

Every once in a while I find a place that leaves me with a deep impression, a place that is both the source and inspiration for many memories. One of those places I found in Hiroshima.

After moving an hour and a half away from Hiroshima, I would make monthly pilgrimages into the city for some urban renewal. I would take the bus on a Friday night after work, and come home by mid-afternoon on Sunday. For the first couple months I was simply finding my way. I would try different restaurant, browse café catalogs and go on hunts for the perfect place to write and sip a cup of coffee, but no experience was really worth repeating. It was not until the third time I made this pilgrimage that I found my way.

Starbucks was a regular place for me in Japan. I have already written extensively about the shortage of spacious, writer-friendly cafes in Japan.  With a few lucky exceptions, Starbucks continues to be the best option for most people who wish to spend a few hours on their laptops. Hiroshima has three major Starbucks branches. The Hon-Dori is the main, three-story café in the busy covered shopping center downtown. This one is great for people watching through the vast windows, but in peak times there is a line out the door, and seating is a precious commodity. I hated walking 30 minutes from my hostel only to find that it was too crowded to work from, so I gave up on that one. The second best-known branch is the Heiwa-Dori, at Peave Blvd. This one seems to be preferable for expats in the city, but the seating is even more limited, and the fact that it is located inside an NHK building makes me feel like I'm going to work at the office. My all-time favorite Starbucks, not just I Hiroshima but  in the world, has to be the third branch, the Danbara store.

Perched majestically in the Danbara neighborhood, a new upscale-housing development near the Mazda stadium, this sprawling, gorgeous Starbucks is the best one I have found in the world. At all hours there is plenty of seating, and I prefer the second floor. My prime choice is to sit outside, on the balcony facing the river. Form here I get a pleasant view of the pedestrian bridge and condominium across the river. If it’s too cold or if all the seat are taken on the balcony, I sit inside at one of the small tables.

This is certainly not the most architecturally remarkable Starbucks, nor does it break any other records in terms of uniqueness, but it has a youthful and local vibe. It is quiet but hip, comfortable but interesting. Since I found it, I made it a point to start and end my weekends in Hiroshima at this Starbucks. 

View at night facing the street

Lounge area on the second floor

Large dining table on the second floor

Interior view form the second floor

Dining room table on the second floor

View from the outside balcony

Outside balcony seating area

Daytime view

The drive-thru sign

Drains of Chugoku

Part of a collection of the many elaborate manhole covers in Japan. 

Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Okayama

Okayama

Onomichi

My Go-To In Hiroshima: Bluebird Cafe

In my quest for awesomely local cafes in Japan, I have the good fortune of living a mere two hours from a city which is famous for its eccentric locally grown cafes: Hiroshima.

While the city boasts many wonder options for cafes, my favorite is a little joint a half hour form the city, called the BlueBird Café.

Nestled right in front of the JR Miyajimaguchi train station, this gem alone is worth the half-hour, 400-yen train ride from Hiroshima Station, and is definitely a must-see if you are going to Miyajima Island.

\

The first floor of the café is a small shop selling quirky goods. From the street, it almost doesn't even look like a café. The order counter is tucked away in the corner just behind a huge display of homemade pastries.

The menu boasts an extensive offers of unique lattes and other espresso creations. After ordering guests walk up the narrow staircase to the second floor, with desks, tables, and couches.

If the comfortable seats and laid-back atmosphere isn’t enough to keep you lingering, you could probably spend an entire day just exploring the decorations on the second floor. From the newspaper ceilings, to the Japanese poetry books, to vintage children’s toys, there are certain a lot of distractions to keep you occupied. 

It is a cozy and quiet atmosphere.

The customers of this café tend to be pairs of women, or the occasion small groups of teenagers will be quietly studying on the large main table. However, there is one guest who I always look forward to seeing, the owner’s cat, who is constantly occupying at least one of the cushions in the café.

On this particular day, she even had her own blanket.

Now, let’s see how this place measures up on my checklist:

1.     Coffee and Espresso in the form of frothy and sweetened lattes:

Definitely. In addition to the standard offerings of Hazelnut, Vanilla, etc, they even have seasonable specials line Honey or Peppermint.  

2.     Wifi:

Check. 

3.     Ordering at the counter and not have a waiter check up on you:

Check. Since the counter is downstairs, you are out of sight of the staff. They only come upstairs to serve the drinks or pastries, other than that you are totally alone. 

4.     Seating for singles:

Check. There are small tables designed for two, but it's not weird if one person sits there. 

5.     The ability to bring your laptop and sit there uninterrupted for at least two hours without feeling pressured to order something else or leave:

Absolutely. This place is chill. It's easy to spend an entire day here relaxing, eating, and reading.