A Tokyo Café Walk by the MERI Store Manager | Hidden Coffee Spot Near the Sumida Hokusai Museum

Hello from MERI in Ryogoku, Tokyo.

I’m the store manager at MERI, and recently I’ve started enjoying something new — exploring the neighborhood around our shop and discovering wonderful local cafés.

Hokusai Street, where our store is located, has traditionally been more of a residential and office area, so I often used to say, “I wish there were more cafés around here.”

But lately, beautiful coffee shops have slowly started appearing around the neighborhood, making walks near the Sumida Hokusai Museum much more enjoyable.

Through this blog, I’d love to introduce some of my favorite spots around Ryogoku and Sumida City — places you can visit before or after joining our Japanese zori workshop or shopping at MERI.

Today, I’d like to introduce one of my recent favorites: MMC.

MMC is located along Hokusai Street, just a short walk from MERI toward Kinshicho. Pass the Sumida Hokusai Museum and continue a little farther, and you’ll find the café on the corner to your right.

The elegant gray exterior immediately catches your attention.

Sometimes you’ll see people sitting outside with their dogs, quietly enjoying coffee on the bench in front of the shop. It creates such a relaxed and beautiful Tokyo atmosphere.

Inside, the lighting is softly dimmed in a way that instantly makes you feel calm.

It’s the kind of café where you naturally want to stay for a long time.

Because the café sits on a corner, large windows fill the space with natural light while still maintaining a cozy feeling.

We were guided to a quiet seating area in the back, where the stone tables added a modern and peaceful touch to the interior.

Now, time to order.

The menu is simple, but somehow that makes choosing even harder.

Everything sounded interesting.

When we asked the staff for recommendations, they explained that the “Coffee Combo” was especially popular.

Each coffee is prepared in a style carefully matched to the flavor profile and origin of the beans. Helpful icons also show whether each drink is best enjoyed hot or cold, making it easy to choose depending on your mood.

Since the weather was slightly humid that day, we both ordered cold coffee drinks.

CHINA

Both drinks used milk, but surprisingly, the texture and flavor were completely different.

The drink on the right was finished with orange, and as we continued drinking, gentle chai-like spices began to appear.

It was unexpected and incredibly interesting.

BRAZIL

Served black, this coffee had a fruity aroma and a very refreshing taste.

The drink on the right, however, was rich and deep in flavor.

The most surprising part?

It included Saikyo miso as a hidden ingredient.

At first, I couldn’t imagine coffee and miso working together, but it paired beautifully and tasted absolutely delicious.

Each coffee also came with a small explanation card describing the flavors and ingredients, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

It also looked like you could purchase coffee beans inside the shop.

And honestly… the desserts looked amazing too.

Next time, I definitely want to try the tiramisu.

If you are visiting Ryogoku, exploring the Sumida Hokusai Museum, or joining our traditional Japanese zori workshop at MERI, I highly recommend taking some time to enjoy the local cafés around the area as well.

Tokyo becomes even more special when you slow down and discover places like this.

I’ll continue sharing favorite cafés and hidden local spots around Ryogoku and Sumida City from the perspective of the MERI store manager, so I hope you’ll visit this blog again soon.