Café & Sweets · Kiyamachi Shijo

Francois Kissaten フランソア喫茶室

A 1934 coffee house designed like the salon of an Italian Baroque ship, the first Japanese cafe registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. Classical music and cream-topped coffee.

About

Francois was opened in 1934 by Shoichi Tateno as a gathering place for artists and intellectuals, and its interior, designed by an Italian student, mixes Baroque curves, red velvet chairs and stained glass. In 2003 it became the first cafe in Japan to be registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property. Classical music plays softly and the menu is simple: coffee with cream, cheesecake, sandwiches. It sits beside the Takasegawa just south of Shijo.

Highlights

• Registered Tangible Cultural Property
• Baroque ship-salon interior from 1934
• Red velvet chairs and stained glass
• Classical music background
• Cream-topped coffee and cheesecake

Tips

• Morning is the quietest time
• The cheesecake is the classic
• Photos are generally allowed without flash; be considerate
• Next to Soiree, so compare both retro cafes

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera KyotoSushi & Seafood · 50 m away
• L'Escamoteur BarBars & Nightlife · 120 m away
• Kissa SoireeCafé & Sweets · 140 m away
• Kyoto Takashimaya S.C.Mall & Department Store · 140 m away
• Hankyu Tourist Center Kyoto-kawaramachiTourist Info · 150 m away
• Tai Sushi (Shijo Kawaramachi)Sushi & Seafood · 150 m away
• Shijo Ohashi BridgeBridge · 160 m away
• Pontocho AlleyIzakaya · 180 m away