I visited the famous café "Sabou Musashino Bunko" in Kichijoji, which I had not visited before, on June 24, 2022. It was around 1:00 PM and quite busy, but I was seated at a 4-person table near the entrance. The café was run by a male master and a female staff member, and despite the formal name, the atmosphere was very casual and welcoming. I ordered the curry set for 1,300 yen with an iced coffee. The curry had large pieces of chicken breast and potatoes, with a slightly thin consistency and a mild spiciness that was a nice balance between Western and Indian curry. The pickled radish, red ginger, and pickled vegetables served as condiments were a great addition. The iced coffee served afterwards was a perfect match after the curry, with a deep flavor and a refreshing finish. The sandwiches also looked delicious, so I definitely want to visit again.

Visited the restaurant after 4 pm on a holiday. Tables were full, but there was a seat available at the counter for one person. Mostly young people in groups of two and middle-aged to elderly people in groups of two, chatting and creating a lively atmosphere. The staff serving coffee seemed to be a part-timer, as their hands were shaking when serving and the spoon slightly touched the cup. Inside the counter, there was an elderly man who appeared to be the owner and a younger man, possibly his son, working efficiently. Ordered a Viennese coffee for 700 yen. The cream was sweet and generously added. The coffee had a slightly bitter taste and was easy to drink. It was a nice break after walking around the town. The aroma of curry was also very inviting. Definitely planning to try the curry next time.

I enjoyed a relaxing café time with ice coffee and lemon cream chiffon cake. Cafés in Kichijoji are a perfect match. It was nice to catch up with friends and relax. Grateful for the atmosphere of the café ❤️

Located about a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station North Exit, here is the tea room Musashino Bunko, a popular shop selected as one of the top 100 coffee shops. After the closure of "Sabo Waseda Bunko," the current master opened this shop in Kichijoji, where you can find a retro and calming space adorned with works by Ibuse Masuji and paintings by Tokumoto Ritsunori. Classical music plays in the background, creating an elegant atmosphere where some people enjoy reading books leisurely. The specialty of this shop is the curry set (1300 yen) and baked apple (700 yen). Many reviewers ordered this combination, but unfortunately, the baked apple is only available seasonally. Therefore, this time, I will only try the curry. First, a mini salad is served, mainly consisting of shredded cabbage, gently refreshing the stomach. Then, the curry arrives with plenty of large potatoes and chicken pieces. The curry has a thin consistency and a decent spiciness, with a strong presence of spices. While there are many famous curry shops these days, this curry may feel somewhat ordinary in comparison. However, when enjoyed in this unique atmosphere with just a cup of coffee, it offers a different kind of enjoyment compared to the typical renowned curry shops.

I'm not a fan of coffee with strong acidity, but the coffee here had a slightly strong acidity. Maybe because I ordered charcoal roasted coffee. However, as the second cafe during my Kichijoji cafe tour, I was quite satisfied. The atmosphere was calming, and the ice was hand-cranked with an old machine. The wooden dish cabinet added to the retro feel of the place. Even though I didn't eat the curry, I could still sense the spices. I'd like to try the lemon bavarois and I'll definitely visit again.

* Iced coffee, located about a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station. The interior is filled with the warmth of wood! I thought it might be a quiet place to read books since the name has "bunko" in it, but surprisingly there are many young customers and it has a welcoming atmosphere! When I was served this iced coffee, I was first impressed by the beautiful cup! Of course, the coffee is delicious too! The curry is also a popular item, but I went there to kill some time so I resisted. The curry is impressive with its large pieces of ingredients, and it looks very delicious, so I definitely plan to try it next time! You might think it's hard to enter just by looking at the exterior, but it's a wonderful place where you can feel comfortable even if you're alone!

I actually went to a highly rated restaurant on Tabelog to see if it was really delicious. [Before entering] I visited around 18:00 on a holiday and was able to enter right away. [Inside the restaurant] There were about 30 seats at the counter and tables. The interior had a retro feel with a wood tone. It was quite dark overall, and surprisingly there were many young customers, so it was a bit lively. [Order] Blend Coffee: 650 yen [Appearance/Taste] Since they were sold out of rice dishes at the time, I simply ordered coffee. The blend was quite bitter. You can enjoy it as a complete black coffee without adding the accompanying milk. It had a deep flavor, and it was not just bitter, which was very good. It was a safe choice, but I enjoyed it until the end. [Overall impression] Is it one of the historic coffee shops in Kichijoji? The atmosphere was good. Even though I only had one cup of coffee, I was warmly welcomed, which left a good impression. Since many people recommend the curry, I would like to visit for lunch next time. Thank you for the meal.

I ordered a Viennese coffee with cream on top for 700 yen. If my favorite cappuccino is not available, I usually go for Viennese coffee. It's fun to imagine the differences between each café and their origins. I'm not good at literature, but seeing familiar names of books displayed might stimulate my brain.

✎Nostalgic Curry with a Retro Atmosphere✎ꪔ̤̮The atmosphere of the restaurantꪔ̤̮◼︎The ambiance is great, with a retro taste. I chose this place from a list of a curry-loving kid's recommendations, and it was the perfect choice! You can tell from the photos that the curry has a unique watery consistency that seeps into the rice. The curry is filled with large chunks of chicken breast and potatoes, with a slightly smoky and mildly bitter taste. Surprisingly, the flavors are not too overpowering, making it delicious for most people. The curry has a homemade feel with a mix of pickled radish, red ginger, and pickled greens that surprisingly complement each other perfectly. It's a genuine Indian-style curry made from scratch. It gives off an impression somewhere between Western and Indian curry, with a slightly spicy kick. The hearty potatoes and chicken breast stand out, giving it a nostalgic homemade touch. Based on the reviews I've seen, people who have tried the curry have given it high ratings. So, when you visit this place, the curry is definitely recommended. I wish I had tried the baked apple with it if it was winter.⚑2-13-4 Kichijoji-Honcho, Musashino City, Tokyo 5 minutes walk from Kichijoji Station North Exit #Kichijoji #KichijojiGourmet #KichijojiLunch #KichijojiCurry #Curry #currylovers #spicy #TokyoCurryTour #flukeCertifiedAmbassador #NationalGourmetGuide #ChabouMusashinoBunko #MusashinoBunko #Curryayl #Kichijojiayl #Tokyoayl

I had a curry and coffee set for 1400 yen. It came with a generous serving of salad. The curry had large chunks of beef and potatoes. The rice was Japanese style, a bit on the dry side. The curry was quite spicy. It also came with a side dish of three types of pickles. This traditional cafe curry even had pickled radishes. Classical music was playing inside the restaurant. I was asked to sanitize my hands with alcohol upon entering, a practice that many places have stopped. It's nice to have places like this around.

On June 28, 2023 (Wednesday), I had the dish Hot Sandwich for ¥270 (tax included) <Limited to 10 servings in the morning>. It was a thick toast with a crispy crust, filled with our special egg and curry flavor. I also had a Cream Soda for ¥800 (tax included), which has been a classic menu item since the opening in 1984. Our Cream Soda is unique with a lemon flavor instead of the traditional green color. About Chaboshitsu Musashino Bunko: The roots of Chaboshitsu Musashino Bunko trace back to a cafe called Chaboshitsu Waseda Bunko near the south gate of Waseda University. It was a unique cafe housed in a traditional Japanese building, loved by Waseda students and literary figures like Ibuse Masuji and Kanayama Hiroshi. Unfortunately, it closed in 1984, but the current owner, Kusaka, who used to work there, preserved its atmosphere, flavors, and signboard, and opened Chaboshitsu Musashino Bunko here in Kichijoji. The cafe features books and crafts inherited from Waseda Bunko, with Ibuse Masuji's calligraphy displayed on the walls. The recipes for our special curry and homemade lemon cake remain unchanged since the early days.

I visited the café before evening on a regular day. It was a Showa-era retro café as the name suggests. I ordered a lemon cake and an iced coffee. The iced coffee was served in a ceramic cup without a handle, and the lemon cake was a traditional style with a small amount of whipped cream. The atmosphere inside the café was very calming.

Visited here to refresh myself after a crowded stroll in Kichijoji on a Sunday. They open at 10 am and the atmosphere is always calm with dim lighting and a mature clientele. The morning hot sandwiches are limited to 10 servings, with options like curry sandwich and egg sandwich. The price difference between drinks and morning sandwiches is quite significant, but the sandwiches turned out to be thick, crispy, and generously filled with ingredients. They even come with a mini salad, making it a great deal. I shared one with my partner as we were planning to explore more food in Kichijoji. The coffee blend had a balanced bitterness and acidity, served in a unique bowl with a spoon and sugar syrup for customization. If you're tired of the crowded main street, wandering around the back streets of Kichijoji could be enjoyable. There are many interesting shops on the way to the Musashino Library.

I often think about the last supper, but if I had to choose my last curry, it would be here. It's a cozy cafe with a calm atmosphere, but for me, it's a curry restaurant. The chicken and potatoes are simmered to perfection, creating a delicious balance of flavors. I'm truly grateful for this curry restaurant in Kichijoji. I hope it stays around for a long time, at least for the rest of my life.

Located in Kichijoji, this long-established café was founded in 1985. After the closure of the tea house "Waseda Bunko" near the main gate of Waseda University in 1984, the owner, who used to work as staff there, inherited the signboard and atmosphere to establish a new café in Kichijoji. Some of the books and crafts displayed inside the café were also inherited from Waseda Bunko. The signature menu items include the "baked apple" and the vibrant yellow "cream soda," which are recipes passed down from Waseda Bunko. Recently, the vegetable curry rice has also become popular. The café is a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station and is open from 10:00 to 21:00 (last order at 20:30) with Sunday operations. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. I visited on a weekend afternoon and was able to enter immediately. Today, I ordered the "cream soda" (¥800) and the "chabo bavarois" (¥530). The café has a calm wooden interior with classical music playing in the background, creating a perfect atmosphere for chatting. The cream soda has been a classic menu item since the café opened in 1985. While green is commonly associated with cream soda, this café serves a vibrant yellow version. It has a nostalgic sweet ramune flavor with a hint of lemon. The subtle sweetness of the vanilla ice cream complements the soda well. The chabo bavarois, topped with lemon, has a taste similar to pudding with a noticeable milk flavor. The lemon and lemon syrup on top add a refreshing touch.

The other day, there was one missing point in the Kichijoji section. A nostalgic coffee shop that had not been visited in over 20 or 30 years. Established in 1985, this long-established coffee shop left a strong impression with its curry more than its coffee. The interior of the shop has wooden tables and chairs that exude a sense of history, with about 5 counter seats and 7 table seats. The table seats were full, so I decided to sit at the counter. I was eager to drink a delicious coffee as I hadn't had any coffee after the tonkatsu. My daughter, who usually prefers tea, also ordered coffee because she liked the blend cup. The coffee cups were made of traditional pottery from Fukuoka Prefecture called "Koishiwara ware," which features beautiful patterns and a warm texture. They were also available for purchase in the shop for 3500 yen per cup. I couldn't eat curry along with the coffee, so my daughter and I shared a sandwich. In addition to curry, they offered three types of toast, hot sandwiches, tea room sandwiches, and nostalgic sweets. The bavarois was something I hadn't seen in a long time, and I remember crying while eating baked apples during elementary school lunches. The coffee was reliably delicious, especially the first cup of the day, which made me sigh unintentionally. The sandwich was quite filling even when shared between two people. The ham sandwich had lettuce and cheese, but no mayonnaise, which made it a bit dry and unsatisfying. The tuna sandwich, on the other hand, had a unique curry flavor, mixed with cucumbers and onions, and was very delicious. The salad with cabbage and carrots was accompanied by potato salad, providing a satisfying amount of food. It might be challenging for a woman to eat alone, but it would be a satisfying portion for a man who wants a hearty meal. Although a table seat became available later on, I didn't move as I didn't want to cause any inconvenience, but I wouldn't recommend the counter seats for those who want to enjoy their coffee in peace. The smell of the curry being heated in front of you is so appetizing, and most people in the shop were eating curry, so the aroma of coffee was not prominent.

I had some errands to run in Kichijoji after a long time, so I searched for a restaurant near the station to have lunch. I found a retro Showa-era coffee shop, and as soon as I entered, I could smell curry. I ordered a curry set and a beer. It came with nuts. The curry tasted like homemade. Thank you for the meal.

I visited the tea room Musashino Bunko in Kichijoji! I had a ham toast (600 yen) with a toast set (with a drink) for 100 yen off. I forgot what drink I had... The atmosphere in this long-established traditional coffee shop was wonderful, with classical music playing and a relaxing vibe that made me lose track of time. It seems to be one of the top 100 coffee shops in Japan. I didn't know there was such a place in Kichijoji... The smell of curry was tempting, but this time I chose the ham toast. Alongside the toast was a mini salad, typical of a coffee shop meal. The toast was perfectly crispy and had a delicious aroma of smoked ham. It was a delightful experience for all the senses! If you go on a weekday, you can make a reservation (probably by phone), so I recommend booking if you plan to visit in the evening. Without a reservation, there is a chance they might close early. It's a lovely coffee shop that I would like to visit again when I want to have a relaxing time with a sense of ease.

While exploring Kichijoji, I visited Musashino Bunko that I found on Tabelog. I ordered the following: - Iced Coffee: 650 yen (tax included) - Bonne Torte: 400 yen The Bonne Torte is a cake made from okara (soy pulp). Despite being made from okara, it is not dry and crumbly, but rather moist and easy to eat. The gentle sweetness was delightful. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for the meal.

This is a coffee shop called Hyakumeiten in Kichijoji. It has a great Showa retro atmosphere, yet it is also clean and comfortable, making it a relaxing place to be at ease. The shop is unified with aged brown wood, and the handwritten menu adds to the retro atmosphere. The background music consists of classical piano and string concertos. The Cream Soda (750 yen tax included) and the Tea Bavarois (480 yen tax included) are recommended. The shop opened in 1984, almost entering the Heisei era, but with a long history as it was opened by the current master who used to work at the Waseda Bunko coffee shop in Waseda before it closed. The Cream Soda here is unique, made with lemon soda instead of melon soda, which stands out with its yellow color. However, like the Basha-do Jyubankan in Yokohama, the Cream Soda at these authentic coffee shops tends to be quite sweet due to the strong syrup, so be cautious. The Lemon Bavarois has a nice bouncy texture with a subtle balance of acidity and sweetness, making it delicious. The sandwich menu is also popular, but that will have to wait for another visit.

The master of "Chabou Musashino Bunko" at Waseda University weaves a history from Waseda while brewing coffee and engaging in lively conversations with regulars at the counter. The specialty curry ordered by everyone is made from a traditional recipe that has been passed down from Waseda, with a roux made from flour and onions sautéed for a long time. I also ordered it without fail. - Curry Rice (a la carte) 1000 yen The matte brown curry roux is so thick that it engulfs half of the rice, with large chunks of ingredients. When you take a bite, it has a slightly smoky flavor with just the right amount of bitterness. Surprisingly, it has a subtle taste, making it understandable why it is loved by everyone. A hint of ginger, pickled radish, and mustard greens provide a fresh accent to the curry. - Lemon Cake Set with Charcoal-brewed Coffee 1050 yen Handmade firm lemon cake with a fluffy whipped cream to complement its slightly dry texture. The combination of a simple sweet cake and deep roasted coffee is perfect, as expected from a tea room. The warmth of the small Ishihara porcelain dish enhances the charm of the products. It was a classic curry from a cozy cafe.