The advantage of being attached to a hotel is that the restaurant opens early at 7:30 in the morning, which is very convenient. The atmosphere inside is calming with a traditional Japanese feel. The food menu offers a variety of options such as Napolitan and sweet rice cakes. I ordered the Napolitan which was very flavorful, although the consomme soup was quite bland. The Napolitan had a rich taste with sausage, onions, and green peppers - an ideal combination, although a bit too strong. I also had a plum soda with white rice cakes on the side, which had a nice plum aroma and a refreshing soda taste. The white rice cakes were chewy and delicious.

Takutaro-san and his staff are always friendly and welcoming, making the dining experience enjoyable. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is cozy. I highly recommend this restaurant.

"Ice Coffee Napolitan"

It was rare that it wasn't crowded!

Located on the side street of Asakusa Public Hall, this café is attached to the traditional Japanese inn, Kamo River. After visiting the shrine, we enjoyed some delicious eel at Ko Yanagi and then couldn't resist the tempting photos of "anmitsu" and "oshiruko" outside the café. Inside, there are 8 tables and the back area serves as the inn's front desk. I tried the oshiruko (650 yen) which came with two pieces of mochi. It was just the right amount of sweetness and very comforting. It also came with tea and konbu tsukudani. The teacup was made of Arita ware. My companion had a cup of black tea (350 yen) which was served in a pot and came with Noritake teacups. It was a cozy way to end our visit after the shrine.

Saying farewell to the detour, I decided to explore the surrounding area in search of a café. Tempted by the sign for "Anmitsu," I entered the establishment. Despite being a new construction, the Japanese-style architecture was charming. Reminded of the excellent example of "Iidaya," I straightened my back and ordered the "Anmitsu" for 720 yen. The black honey on top was a delightful treat in the early afternoon. Made from sugar cane and black sugar, it had a rich flavor. As I savored the dessert, I carefully examined the ingredients, including agar, red beans, mochi, red bean paste, mandarin oranges, shiratama, white peaches, and cherries. All the fruits were canned, but fresh fruits would have been ideal. Despite the simple menu, the atmosphere was bright and conducive to reading.

Located a 3-minute walk from Asakusa Station North Exit on the Tobu Skytree Line, at the intersection of Koen-dori and Asakusa Chuo-dori, is the café "Kissaten Kamogawa". I visited this café in early December around 7 am. It is situated next to the inn "Ryokan Kamogawa" and also serves meals. Despite being near the bustling Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, the area was quiet at this early hour, with a serene atmosphere. The café has around 30 table seats, exuding a traditional Asakusa charm. I sat at a 4-person table near the entrance and quickly looked at the menu. I ordered the "Ham Toast Set (with coffee or tea)" for 720 yen. I chose a "Hot Coffee" as my drink. The "Ham Toast" was a hot sandwich with ham and cucumber. It was a light and refreshing breakfast option. Thank you for the meal.

●Visited around 3:00 pm on New Year's Day●When it comes to Asakusa on New Year's Day, it's a classic spot known for being crowded... Knowing this, I still wanted to take a stroll around Asakusa Temple. However, as expected, everywhere I looked, it was just packed with people... And it was cold... haha. So, I quickly gave up on my Asakusa stroll and hurried into this shop near Asakusa Temple to warm up. While all the shops near Asakusa Temple had long lines extending outside, this one had only about 80% of the tables filled. The atmosphere wasn't very relaxing, maybe because the customers were on the older side or because it was New Year's Day and people had other things to do... Most people finished eating and left right away, so the turnover rate was good. That's probably why there wasn't a long line. Inside the shop, there were about 12 old-fashioned tables and chairs. It seemed like there was a ryokan (Japanese inn) attached in the back, as the restroom was in the ryokan lobby and you could hear the voices of guests using the ryokan. The staff seemed to be going back and forth between the ryokan and the cafe. It appeared that they had been running the shop and the ryokan for a long time, but overall, there was a sense of cleanliness and calmness. Now, onto what I ordered. To warm up my body, I ordered a sweet red bean soup and a cream anmitsu that felt more suitable for this cold season. The sweet red bean soup was not too sweet and had a gentle flavor, very delicious. It came with two pieces of mochi, so I was full after finishing one bowl. The anmitsu also had plenty of agar jelly, making it satisfying to eat. Both were served with hot tea. I'm not familiar with Asakusa, so I'm not sure where exactly it is... and whether I can easily find my way back there if I decide to visit again is quite a mystery. But in the crowded area near Asakusa Temple, I was glad to have found a good shop.

During a break from walking around Asakusa, my wife and I passed by the annex of Daikokuya and decided to visit this unfamiliar shop. The interior of the shop had a clean and luxurious feel with plenty of wooden elements. We ordered matcha zenzai and cream anmitsu. As we sat down, I noticed a view of the front desk in the back room. Oh, I see, this shop is actually directly managed by the same ryokan as its name suggests. Our dishes arrived. I took a bite of the zenzai and thought, "Wow, it's sweet!" Well, of course it is! The reason I felt that way is because even though it's during the equinoctial week, with temperatures nearing 30℃ outside, my body was craving something cold. The zenzai was actually quite warm. Perhaps it was a balance with the topping of matcha ice cream for an autumn version. My wife's agar jelly was also lukewarm. I wish they had kept it a bit more summer-like. The taste was very standard, around a 50 out of 100. The red bean paste had a strong flavor, and while the mochi could have been a bit smoother, I won't be too picky. We finished everything and it was a satisfying meal. The shop is a bit hidden in a back alley, but it's worth knowing about during a stroll.

After finishing the New Year's visit to Senso-ji Temple, I decided to warm up with something sweet and ended up at Kamo River. I had never heard of it before, but decided to go in because they had sweet red bean soup. I ordered two servings of sweet red bean soup (650 yen each) and vanilla ice cream (450 yen). - Vanilla Ice Cream (★★★☆3.1): Topped with strawberry sauce, it had a nostalgic taste. Reminded me of Lady Borden maybe? - Sweet Red Bean Soup (★★★☆3.3): Served with two half-sized grilled rice cakes. The slight delay in serving may have been due to them being lightly grilled. The taste was comforting, not too sweet. The accompanying kelp simmered dish was also not bad. The fact that smoking is allowed is a downside, even though there was no smoke during my visit. It's not a bad place to take a break without long lines.

Since turning 30, I've started going to cafes to take a break. Today, my wife said she wanted to eat oshiruko, so we decided to enter a cafe. I ordered oshiruko for myself (650 yen), and my wife ordered anmitsu (850 yen). We were given wet towels and water. The interior of the cafe is clean and has a traditional Japanese feel, making it easy to enter. My wife's anmitsu arrived first, with a generous amount of red bean paste and ice on top. My oshiruko was as expected, with half a mochi inside. It wasn't too heavy and was easy to eat, although my wife ended up eating about half of it. The meal came with tea and konbu. The prices were a bit on the high side, but it's understandable considering the location.

I entered a café without any particular expectations at a ryokan called Kamogawa. I ordered an Americano for 450 yen with a friend. The service by what seemed to be a foreign staff member was very polite. The café is small, but relatively calm. It is located just off the main street in Asakusa, so it's quiet. Since it is connected to a ryokan, the spot where I sat had a view of the ryokan reception counter, but it didn't bother me. It's a nice place to take a break. The Americano was neither good nor bad, just average.

I stopped by this place when my feet got tired from sightseeing in Asakusa. The interior is very clean and nice. Cream Anmitsu is 800 yen, and Kobucha is 470 yen. Cream Anmitsu comes with green tea, and Kobucha comes with a snack. It's a nice service. The taste is not particularly delicious, but it's a good place to rest your feet. The staff, although not Japanese, provided good customer service. The snack that came with Kobucha was very delicious. I recommend Kobucha.