It was around 11am on a Sunday weekend in September. This time, I went to Kurumidou Coffee Shop, a five-minute walk from Kokubunji Station in Tokyo. The shop is housed in a two-story house. It has a homey yet charming atmosphere, and is also home to the Kurumidou Bookstore, which is run by the same shop. It is a retro-modern coffee shop that is perfect for the days as autumn approaches.

The shop name written on the glass window of the door gives it a charming feel.
Although it is attached to a bookstore, "Kurumodo Cafe" is not the "cafe space" of "Kurumodo Bookstore." It was originally a coffee shop, and that coffee shop then opened as a bookstore.


Kurumodo Cafe believes that cafes and coffee shops are places to come for a chat. When you think of "chatting," you tend to imagine a lively and fun time with someone, but it doesn't just mean chatting with "someone"; it also includes a conversation with "yourself." Reading is a dialogue between you and the work, and between you and the author. Pick up a book from Kurumi Bookstore to join in the conversation.



Once inside the store, the first thing to do is choose a seat. On this day with the soft sunlight shining in, I was drawn to a seat by the window. The counter-type window seats are also recommended for people who want to be lost in thought alone, or for couples who feel a little embarrassed to sit face to face. The lamps illuminating each table were lovely, so I'm sure the mood would be different at dusk.

Now, I have a feeling that the specialty menu item I ordered will soon be served.

Kurumodo Coffee Shop's specialty, Siberia. It looks lovely presented on a red tray.
"Kurumodo's Siberia" 500 yen, "Light Roast Coffee" 680 yen
Many people may have heard of it through novels or movies, right? Siberia is a Japanese sweet made of yokan or red bean paste sandwiched between castella cakes. While I had the impression that Kurumi-do's Siberia was a hardy treat sandwiched between two layers of firm castella cake, it has a light and fluffy texture that is somehow indescribably approachable. Between the castella cakes baked in-house are homemade bean paste and whipped cream. It's not too sweet, melts in your mouth, and can be eaten like a cake. Delicious.

"Shinano Gurumi Tart" 580 yen, "Café au Lait (Iced)" 750 yen
"Shinano Gurumi Tart" is baked with almond cream and caramelized walnuts. This exquisite tart is topped with a generous amount of "fresh bean paste." This modern Japanese Western dessert pairs perfectly with coffee. This time, we had it with iced cafe au lait.

Seasonal Dessert "Pumpkin Pudding" 600 yen
The seasonal dessert is "Pumpkin Pudding." This dish boasts a much richer pumpkin flavor than you might expect. The bittersweet caramel sauce, red bean paste, and whipped cream go perfectly together. If you like firm pudding, this is the one to order.

In addition to coffee, they also offer Japanese tea, Taiwanese tea, black tea, and juice. In addition to sweets, they also serve set meals, so you can also go for a meal instead of tea. When we visited, the place was bustling with lunch customers around noon.

Please come to Kurumi-do Cafe on your next day off.

That's all for the Weekend Cafe Club.



Photography: NATSUME TEZUKA