What Is a Yuri Cafe?
A “yuri cafe” is like a normal cafe, but it specializes in something unique when it comes to its reading material. “Yuri” is (usually erotic) lesbian Japanese manga. Storylines and themes can vary depending on the genre, but the main theme is that the story has a lesbian couple. Yuri’s gay male counterpart “yaoi” is more popular around the world, but yuri has its own cult following in Japan and abroad.
A yuri cafe is basically a normal cafe that serves coffee, tea etc., but it has a large selection of yuri manga to read. It’s kind of an interesting experience to sit casually sipping your coffee and munching on a sandwich while reading steamy erotic manga. So I definitely recommend you try it out!
How Are Yuri Cafes in Japan Different?
Yuri cafes are different from regular cafes in Japan and abroad because they usually open later, making them more of an afternoon activity. Since most of what goes on in Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo’s gay district, is nightlife-related, it makes sense that cafes such as Yuri Cafe Anchor open at 2 pm and close at 11 pm, so you can coffee up and read some erotic manga before going out to party.
Of course, the appeal of a yuri cafe is its unfettered access to volume upon volume of lesbian manga. Since this is hard to find anywhere else, a yuri cafe serves as a type of hobby cafe in Japan. Like any other hobby cafe, such as a normal manga cafe or animal cafe, a yuri cafe has a clear theme, and people go there to find something unique that they can’t find anywhere else.
Best Yuri Cafes in Japan
Yuri Cafe Anchor
Area: Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo
Area: Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo
1/26(水)百合カフェanchor⚓️
— ANCHOR rainbow port tokyo⚓️ (@anchor_staff) January 26, 2022
16時オープン🥳21時まで😊お酒の提供は20時までとなります🍷
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百合に囲まれて、ご飯食べたり、お酒飲んだり、本を読んだり、お仕事したり、漫画描いたり、ぼーっとしたりご自由にお過ごし下さいね！ pic.twitter.com/uWwoQwYa2d
Yuri Cafe Anchor is well-known in Tokyo for its unique supply of a vast selection of yuri manga to read, while also offering delicious food, coffee, and alcoholic drinks. They have both a cafe area with tables and comfortable couches, and a bar area, allowing you to choose which experience you want to have at Yuri Cafe Anchor.
When you walk in, you’re greeted by hanging plants adorning the room, with framed posters of female manga characters on one wall. On another wall is a long row of bookshelves, all stocked with yuri manga of every genre. You place your order by scanning a QR code, which then leads you to a menu featuring light meals like a ham and brie plate, and curry rice. I tried the ham and brie plate, which was delicious (the brie was high quality and didn’t have the rubbery taste that many Japanese cheeses have). The coffee was also good, and came in a cute branded Anchor Cafe cup.
One thing to note, however, is that Anchor doesn’t accept cash payment. You can only pay using a card or payment app, which is rare for Japan, as it’s largely a cash-based country. However, some good things about the place are that they have no cover charge, and that they allow anyone to come in and read some manga, not only women.
Yuri Cafe Anchor is only a one-minute walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station (for the Fukutoshin Subway Line and Marunouchi Subway Line), and is a five-minute walk from Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (for the Marunouchi Subway Line). It’s also a ten-minute walk from Shinjuku Station (for the JR Lines, Odakyu Line and many others).
If you want to learn more about what it’s like to visit Yuri Cafe Anchor, check this article out!
Lesbian-Friendly Cafes in Japan
Dorobune
Area: Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo
Area: Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo
Dorobune is a charming women-only cafe and bar in Shinjuku Nichome. It’s open from 7 pm to 11 pm on weekdays, and from 7 pm to 11:30 pm on Friday and Saturday nights, so it’s not a late-night establishment like many of the bars in Nichome are. It’s more of a friendly spot to grab dinner and to chat with the bartender if you’d like.
Dorobune serves a variety of mouth-watering homemade meals such as their banh mi, roast beef over rice, and unique accouterments like fig butter. I tried their grilled edamame beans and they were delicious. I’ll definitely be going back again to have a full meal there.
Dorobune is a four-minute walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station (for the Fukutoshin Subway Line and Marunouchi Subway Line), and is also a four-minute walk from Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (for the Marunouchi Subway Line). It’s a ten-minute walk from Shinjuku Station (for the JR Lines, Odakyu Line and many others).
Please note that Dorobune only allows women to enter, and has a small cover charge at the door.
Rainbow Burritos Doumo
Area: Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo
Rainbow Burritos Doumo is a lively treasure inside of an otherwise rickety-looking walk up building. It’s a Japanese take on Mexican food which also serves alcoholic drinks. The space itself is so small that it only has about four barstools and one table inside, so on a busy night, you may not get a seat right away.
However, once you do get in, expect to see slightly bohemian decor inside and hear loud pop music blasting on the speakers. The bartender that I’ve run into when eating here is a very kind woman and the burritos served have always been delicious, even if they taste slightly different from authentic Mexican food.
Although it’s not strictly a lesbian cafe, and allows anyone to enter, it is well-loved among the Tokyo lesbian community. Also, Rainbow Burritos Doumo doesn’t have a cover charge, so you won’t have to pay extra just to go in.
Rainbow Burritos Doumo is a two-minute walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station (for the Fukutoshin Subway Line and Marunouchi Subway Line), and is a six-minute walk from Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (for the Marunouchi Subway Line). It’s also a six-minute walk from Shinjuku Station (for the JR Lines, Odakyu Line and many others).
Conclusion
Yuri cafes and lesbian cafes in Tokyo are a more laid back alternative to lesbian bars. If you’re someone who wants a quieter atmosphere, or just to catch a meal before going out to party, all three of these lesbian-friendly cafes are a great choice.
