Walden Woods Kyoto

5 Stars – A Kyoto Gem! I stumbled upon this cafe in Kyoto and was completely blown away. The atmosphere is incredible — there’s a tree in the center of the space, and it feels like you’re sipping coffee inside a modern art exhibit. The aesthetic is minimal, clean, and beautifully designed with white interiors and great natural light. The coffee? Amazing. I had a latte that was smooth and well-balanced. The cream puffs are an absolute must — especially the matcha cream puff. The filling has the perfect consistency, and the pastry itself is soft and delicate. The croissants were also buttery, flaky, and just really well done. This place nails concept, design, and quality. I honestly loved everything about it and would come back in a heartbeat.

Walden Woods in Kyoto is my morning happy place — their matcha latte is an absolute masterpiece, the craft espresso is dialed in to perfection, and that cream puff? I’d sell my left sneaker for another one. The upstairs seating is simple yet charming, perfect for a slow, dreamy start to the day. It’s easily one of my favorite hidden gems in Kyoto — a place that turns a quiet morning into a full-blown ritual. Highly recommend.

We went first thing in the morning, opening time 8:30am. They roast there own beans so the coffee was amazing. They do a combo deal which includes a couple of crosoints, coffee and fresh mandarin juice for 1000 yen, great value, the seating area upstairs is unique, laid back with relaxed music in the background. Great spot to get the day going.

**A Cozy White-Themed Café Roasting Their Own Beans** This minimalist white café roasts, grinds, and sells its own coffee. The pastries are delightful—fluffy cakes (🍰), buttery cookies (🍪), and more. While the coffee was decent, I've definitely had better in Kyoto (perhaps my standards are high!). But the real charm lies upstairs—a space so uniquely serene that photos capture it better than words ever could. If you're looking to slow down, bring a book, and recharge, this is your spot. The all-white aesthetic has an almost therapeutic calmness to it—perfect for quiet afternoons.

The place looks nice and it’s a big plus it being open early. The coffee is nice but the pastries were pretty bad - the canelle was a madeleine… also the annoying trend of coffee shops not lifting a finger and you have to move around with trays, cleaning after yourself and all.

Walden Woods Kyoto isn’t just a coffee shop—it’s a peaceful, design-driven retreat in the heart of the city. The atmosphere is minimalist yet rich with character, blending modern calm with vintage charm. What really stands out is their use of a WWII-era German coffee roasting and grinding machine, as well as authentic French military lamps and tableware. These details give the space a quiet depth and a unique sense of story. The coffee is excellent—smooth, deep, and clearly crafted with care. We especially loved the matcha latte, which had a great balance of richness and subtle bitterness. Their matcha desserts are also a highlight: refined, not overly sweet, and beautifully presented. If you appreciate thoughtful design, good coffee, and quiet moments, this café is well worth a stop while in Kyoto.

Minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing! Thoroughly enjoyed the iced matcha, latte, mandarin juice, and croissants. I came here a couple times during my trip and it was consistently good. If you’re in the area, definitely stop by.

This café gets a lot of tourist traffic, and while it has a nice vibe, the coffee is just average. They don’t usually offer a choice of coffee beans unless you go for the drip coffee — that’s where you’ll find some options. I also tried the ice cream, ordering the milk and matcha mix. Heads up: the matcha ratio is way higher than the milk. If you’re not a big fan of matcha (like me), I definitely recommend ordering them separately instead of assuming you can share it with a friend. Overall, it’s a decent place to stop by if you’re walking past, but I wouldn’t say it’s worth going out of your way for.

Ambiance is what caught my attention of this cafe from the moment we walked in. Staff is welcoming, wonderful aroma of coffee and pastries as soon as you walk in, merch available, tranquil music playing, and everything is painted white which gives it a clean yet rustic feel. Lanterns guide the staircase to the unique and spacious lounging area, graced with a cool looking white tree in the center bedazzled with diamonds. We walked a few blocks to find this place. After the last cafe we went to ran out of matcha. The matcha latte here is very good but what surprised me was the cafe mocha. Not as sweet as most cafes' mocha, but I liked it a lot. You can really taste their coffee through the mocha.

I really enjoyed this coffee cafe. The service was friendly. The drinks were amazingly tasty. The atmosphere of the seating and lights is perfect for Instagram!

First choice for coffee when arriving in Kyoto. Super modern interior with a central counter to order and seating upstairs. Decided on an Iced Latte (¥600) and a Cannelle (¥300). Latte is good, balanced bitter with just enough milk. Cannelle looked good from the outside but had a significant burnt flavor. Didn't go as well with the coffee as would have hoped. Upstairs seating is nice, there's a tree in the middle and stair seating along the walls (no tables however). Service is quick and the above is nice. Not too many options for food so would stick with the coffee.

Really good chai latte but the regular latte with milk wasn't the best. The staff are really nice though and the atmosphere is really cool. I would come back for chai and a snack.

The coffee is quite enjoyable here. I had the ginger latte. However, the serving size is tiny (6 oz?) and the service can be slow since they are creating pour-over coffees. It's a bit cramped at the bottom level, but there is a top level with more space. It feels very much more like an art installation than a space to lounge around and slowly sip coffee.

This place was terrific! I really loved the aesthetics. I've never been to a cafe like it before and I think something like this would do well in Seattle or some hipster place in the states. Customer service was excellent!

If you into good coffee and art this is the place for you in Kyoto. I ordered oat cappuccino, for some reason the oat milk here is much make creamier than we have in states. Definitely check it out when you are visiting Kyoto.

Really good coffee, a cool artsy ambiance, and very polite service. Great start to the day in Kyoto!

Sf vibes in a Kyoto coffee shop. Stark white walls with mini amphitheatre seating upstairs and vintage lamps. Excellent tea!

Kyoto is a surprise around every corner. In this residential neighborhood, across from a small playground, we walk by this captivating space. Friendly and English capable staff can help you select your coffee. Upstairs is yet another surprise. Arena seating where everyone is a performer and everyone is an observer. Thank you Walden Woods for this beautiful afternoon break.

I would say this coffee shop is the best coffee shop in Kyoto.Of course great coffee and cool staffs,nice snacks. They do roast beans by their roasted machine which is vintage. These days they open till 10pm,which means you can drink great coffee till then!Absolutely you gatta check this great coffee shop.

I'm a huge coffee nut, and this is my favorite coffee shop in Kyoto. The staff is nice, the venue is clean, and the coffee is amazing. There's a cute very aesthetically pleasing seating area upstairs too. Definitely will be dreaming about this place for awhile.

The vibes here are amazing! Nice and airy, super friendly staff, and artisan roasted coffee. Had to hang around the neighborhood until our check in and time to our hostel, and this was the perfect place to rest.