Fuglen Asakusa

Fuglen, a favorite cafe and roaster among coffee lovers, has expanded its footprint substantially in recent years. Originally from Oslo, Norway, the Shibuya cafe opened in 2012 and made quite an impression. The vintage design and eclectic collection of Norwegian furniture and decorations paired with a thoroughly modern style of coffee quickly cemented it as a must-visit cafe in Tokyo.

Now with four cafes and a roaster in Tokyo as well as a satellite cafe in Fukuoka prefecture coffee lovers have numerous chances to enjoy their tart and vibrant Scandinavian style coffee. Their second cafe location, Fuglen Asakusa, opened in 2018 and stands out among coffeehouses due to its interesting layout and history-heavy location: Asakusa

Asakusa is a popular tourist destination which includes some of Tokyo’s most famous temples. Kaminarimon and Senso-ji are moments from Fuglen Asakusa as is the Kappa Bashi restaurant supply district. Travelers from abroad will be delighted to see that the cafe is neighbors with a shotengai, or shopping street, brimming with Japanese souvenirs and traditional snacks.

The cafe itself is a spacious with two floors of seating. Huge windows allow natural light to flood the shop highlighting the light wood tones of the coffee bar, furniture, and ceiling. Large plants can be found in every corner of Fuglen Asakusa, as well as interesting literature for browsing and art by Bendik Kaltenborn. The coffeeshop offers community seating at large tables, bar seats, and comfortable sofas to sink into. A spiral staircase leads upstairs to more seating and a view of the street below, including the entryway to the Nishi-sando shopping street and its photogenic giant red lantern.

Fuglen exudes a certain kind of cool that is both obvious and intangible. The vibe that comes from this cafe/furniture store/bar is simultaneously invigorating and calming. It is a joy to soak in the scenery and sip on an espresso. The coffee is creative and well crafted and the cocktails are always on point. If the Scandinavian Negroni is available it is highly recommended.

Asakusa offers numerous options for sight seeing and shopping. The annual Sanja Matusri is a sight to behold. However, it might be worth taking break from the various food stalls and centuries old temples at Fuglen Asakusa simply to do nothing but reflect on the moment and enjoy a cup of coffee.