Kyoto's Moon and Venus Cafe

Located in a sunny location near Toji-in Station

By Shozo Fujii

Community writer

Translated by Sarah Chaney

Community writer

The outside of the Moon and Venus Cafe, read as "Tsukiyomi Coffee Shop - Moon and Venus"

Inside the cafe, including the seats at the counter.

The interior with the wooden table and chairs. Can't you just feel the warmth?

The beautiful color of the wooden bookshelf inside the cafe.

Look at the antique design of the light hanging about the counter.

Coffee and an assortment of homemade snacks such as olives and walnuts simmered in brown sugar.

The table seating where a fortune teller had been chatting with customers.

It's fun to stop at each station on the Randen railway line in Kyoto to visit shrines and temples, starting from Kitanohakubaicho station. Your first stop is Toji-in station.

A Buddhist temple, Toji-in, is located about a 5-minute walk from the station. As you head back to the station after exploring the temple, you may come across a sign that says Tsukiyomi Coffee Shop - Moon and Venus (月読珈琲舎　月と金星).

It looked like a residential house made into a cafe. The fascinating name intrigued me, and so I pushed open the door and stepped inside. As I was led to a table seat, I could hear the fortuneteller's conversation at the neighboring table.

That's when I realized this was a cafe run by a fortuneteller. That being said, the coffee was amazing. It even came with homemade olives and walnuts that had been simmered in brown sugar.

I was able to relax and reflect on the Buddhist temple I had just visited. My thoughts drifted back to Ashikaga Takauji, who was buried at Toji-in. It was all in all a peaceful, relaxing visit.