Crossover between International and Traditional – STARBUCKS x Yuka
Recently I experienced a fascinating and relaxing afternoon at the Starbucks Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi shop. I was having my coffee in a paper cup marked with the green and white logo at the fancy, world famous coffee shop, but I was sitting on a “yuka” (a kind of riverside terrace), a Kyoto tradition originated in the Edo period. I have been longing to experience this luxurious summer tradition, but the yuka along Kamo River are all expensive restaurants…. But, at least I can afford the yuka at Starbucks.
To enjoy your coffee on the yuka, you need to line up in a special queue separate from the order queue. There were people leaving when I arrived, so I was lucky as I didn’t have to wait for long for a table☆~! There are two rows of tables facing Kamo River. The table available was on the back row. People sitting in the front row blocked a little of the view, but Kamo River and the Sanjo Bridge were still right in front of my eyes. I enjoyed my coffee under the breeze and the scenery of Kamo River together with some reading, and I relaxed in the silence. This type of crossover between new culture and old culture is odd, but the two do match so well! That’s Kyoto for you!
