Kocha Romankan Shimano Tea room, Shimano for short, is a traditional tea room in Kawagoe. It is similar to a kissaten, the traditional tea shops of Japan, but with more of a British tea room feel. Apart from tea, you can get other beverages and desserts. They also serve a light breakfast and light meals such as sandwiches.
Shimano Tea Room
When I first came to Japan in 2000, kissaten style tea shops were still very popular. Over the years, many have sadly been replaced by chain and craft coffee stores. Ironically, Shimano only opened in 2002 after the boom of kissaten when chain coffee shops were becoming more popular. However, Shimano mimics the style of yore and even the servers still wear traditional British tea lady outfits complete with a white laced apron and head piece. This tea room, just before the main tourist strip, reminds me greatly of the tea shops of my youth back home in Ireland. They even have delicious scones like back home.
The Menu at Kocha Romankan Shimano Tea Room
I think this is the only walk-in café I have ever been to in Japan that offers a boiled egg on the breakfast menu. You can get it with toast or with a sandwich and a drink of your choice. They serve toast and sandwiches all day and they have a couple of rice dishes to choose from at 11 a.m., after breakfast time is over. All dishes can be chosen as a set that comes with a drink. The drink menu has an extensive range of tea. It is served in a tea pot with a strainer and timer so you can make the perfect cup of tea. They have some original dessert tea drinks with ice-cream and fruit pieces. Other desserts include pound cake, parfait and jelly dishes. I particularly recommend the scones. Each day they have a different selection of two or three from a repertoire of about twenty.
