Kitarō Tea House

Author: Richard Perkins
Photos/Videos Taken: 2021/03/20・2021/08/25
Address: 5-12-8 Jindaiji-motomachi, Chofu-shi,
Tokyo,【182-0017】

Shigeru Mizuki, who wrote the comic book ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 (gegege no kitarō), a comic book based upon yōkai, lived most of his life in the city of Chōfu, Tokyo. Because of this, near the popular Jindaiji temple in Chōfu is the 鬼太郎茶屋 (kitarō chaya), or the Kitarō Tea House. As one might expect, inside the Kitarō Tea House is the "Yōkai Shop", a shop that sells a variety of Kitarō-related goods. There’s also the "Yōkai Cafe", a cafe where one can enjoy food and drink based upon Gegege no Kitarō. 

In the Yōkai Shop, everything from figures of Kitarō to craft beer with Kitarō on the label is on sale. But it’s not just Kitarō-related goods, there are also a number of yōkai-related books on sale. Everything you need to learn about yōkai can be found here.

Inside the Yōkai Cafe, a yōkai that lives in 障子 (shoji), a sliding paper door with traditional Japanese paper (和紙—washi), known as 目目連 (mokumoku-ren) can be found. A number of yōkai plush toys and several Gegege no Kitarō pictures on the wall can also be found. While taking an extended break you can mingle and get to know some yōkai.