Tea With John And Yoko: A Brief History Of Caf Kinohana

One day in 1979, a former Beatle happened to stroll into the Flor de Café Kinohana in Ginza, Tokyo. It was a chance encounter that changed the place forever.

Flor de Café Kinohana opened its doors on August 1, 1979. It was a classy café in Ginza, close to the Kabuki-za theater, but there wasn’t anything particularly special about the place. But the humble café got a lucky break when just four days after opening, John Lennon and Yoko Ono walked in, looking for a place to kill time before going to watch a movie with their son, Sean. John ordered a Colombian coffee, while Yoko opted for a Darjeeling tea. To this day, those are two of the most popular drinks on the menu.

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These days, the café may be proud of its associations with the noble duo, but it doesn’t simply ride on the coattails of this chance celebrity encounter. They serve high-quality beans, ground to order, and healthy vegetarian lunchtime options.

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Nevertheless, the couple did make an impression. The owner framed their signatures and placed them near the door, and many Beatles fans make a pilgrimage to this place when in Tokyo. Each year, the café hosts a modest tribute, playing the Beatles’ and John’s songs on December 8, the anniversary of his death in 1980 – just one year after his fateful visit to little old Flor de Café Kinohana.