Katsutoshi Takagi 
AT "SHOGUN cafe & experience," visitors can get a taste of the traditional pursuits of shoguns, such as iaido and Noh theater. (©Sankei by Ikue Mio)
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"SHOGUN cafe & experience" opened on April 22, just a two-minute walk from Omotesando Station. This experiential cafe is inspired by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, who ruled Japan for 15 generations during the Edo period.
Visitors can enjoy regional dishes once served to the Tokugawa clan. They can also experience traditional Japanese arts such as iaido (swordsmanship), Noh theater, calligraphy, and the tea ceremony.
Regional Specialties
The cafe mainly serves Japanese sweets like mochi and manju (steamed bun). It also features a rotating menu of local specialties as part of its "Tribute Items Project." This initiative supports regional revitalization by showcasing ingredients and dishes from across Japan.
The first featured region is Hamamatsu City, where Tokugawa Ieyasu spent his youth. Menu highlights include local matcha and a fragrant mochi filled with citrus marmalade.
Upstairs, guests can participate in interactive cultural experiences set in a modernized space. For ¥16,500 JPY (around $115 USD), visitors can choose from two curated courses (about 90 minutes):
- Martial & Performing Arts Set: includes an iaido demonstration, a Noh dance performance, and traditional costume dressing.
- Cultural Arts Set: features calligraphy, a tea ceremony, and katazome (stencil dyeing).
House of Tokugawa
The cafe is operated by the Japan Incubation Center (JIQ), a general incorporated association based in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Highlighting the Tokugawa shogunate's 260-year reign as a "symbol of peace," JIQ aims to make the cafe a hub for sharing regional and cultural heritage.
Iehiro Tokugawa, the 19th head of the main House of Tokugawa descending from Tokugawa Ieyasu, serves as JIQ's Executive Fellow.
Japan's samurai era has seen renewed global interest, thanks to the hit TV series SHOGUN starring Hiroyuki Sanada, which recently won four Golden Globe awards, including Best Drama.
JIQ representative Satoru Kaiho expressed interest in a potential collaboration. While there is "no official connection" to the show, he added, "We'd love to work together."
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Author: Katsutoshi Takagi, The Sankei Shimbun
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