Sitting in front of this store on a nice spring or fall day with cup in hand,, it is hard to find a more relaxed spot than here. While all the shops in the guide have a neighborhood vibe, the loitering patrons and friendly staff at Little Nap make for an in depth community feel.
“Whenever I go abroad I don’t have a clue about the best places to go, so whenever people ask me for Tokyo recommendations I am always willing to help them out,” the friendly staff said to me upon a visit to the store, adding, “I also want to introduce a side of Tokyo not in the guidebooks, places I know that put heart and soul into their trade.”
The customers differ slightly by the day, with weekends host to the travelers who stop by for a quick coffee before they make their way to either the famous Yoyogi Park, or the nearby Shibuya area. Weekdays are more of the neighborhood clientele, rather than office workers, as the area is made up of mainly housing. “Our customers come from different countries, age groups, and professions, which makes getting to know our patrons both engaging and fun. More than this we want to create a place you can feel comfortable just suddenly popping by,” the staff told me as I asked them more about the shop’s history.
Little Nap became part of this “Oku Shibuya” neighborhood in 2012. Nestled between the more famous Shibuya and Yoyogi neighborhoods, many visitors to Tokyo often skip over this area. Stepping into these streets, it is undeniable that for every crowded pedestrian road there are also calmer places within the Tokyo metropolis. Around a 15 minute walk away is another more spacious location where the roasting of the coffee takes place. They always host a vast array of beans, but rather than drip coffee, I recommend the espresso or caffe latte.
The staff suggests that you take your coffee in hand and make a short walk to the nearby Yoyogi Hachiman Shrine. Take a right out of the store and turn right again, crossing the train tracks and up the hill. You will see trees on the left which is home to a beautiful shrine. After coming to this neighborhood for a number of years I had no idea this place existed until recently. Surrounded by trees it is one of the few areas of Tokyo where nature blots out completely any buildings or man made metals from your view.
Near the cash register of Little Nap you may notice the mouth watering donuts and other sweets that change by the day. These come from the nearby store named Path, and in a friendly exchange of business Little Nap coffee is featured in the bakery. Needless to say the staff recommends you check out Path’s beautiful storefront, a place that lights up on a sunny day when the doors can be opened to the streets of Tokyo.
Name：Little Nap COFFEE STAND
Address：Tokyo, Shibuya-Ku, Yoyogi 5-65-4
☎︎ ： 03-3466-0074
Hours: Monday-Sunday 9:00~19:00
Closed Monday
Name：Path
Address：Tokyo, Tomigaya 1-44-2
☎︎ ： 03-6407-0011
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8:00~15:00 18:00~0:00
Name：Yoyoyogi Hachiman Shrine
Address：Tokyo, Shibuya-Ku, Yoyogi 5-1
☎︎ ： 03-3466-2012
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 8:00~15:00 18:00~0:00