Kissaten—retro-style cafés—are a beloved part of Japanese dining culture, with a dedicated following. Step into any kissaten—Japanese retro-style cafes—and you're immediately hit with the strong smell ...

Japan is familiar with foreign franchises. McDonald’s arrived in 1971 (PDF) and began like many chains as a high-end fad (in Ginza, nonetheless) before becoming a ubiquitous part of local culture. One ...

Micro pigs play at a mipig cafe, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Tokyo. The Mipig Café in fashionable Harajuku is among 10 such pig cafes the operator has opened around Japan, including one in the ...

Calling someone a pig isn't really an insult in these cafés because that's exactly what its residents are. The Mipig Café in Harajuku is one of the spots where tourists and locals can pay to cuddle ...

Japanese-born bakery and cafe Bread, Espresso & and its executive chef, have crossed the ocean to open the first U.S. location in Redondo Beach. Founded in 2009 in Tokyo, the bakery has 37 locations ...

TOKYO — First there were cafés that allowed pets. Then came cat cafés, where lattes took second place to feline interaction. The latest craze in Japan: The pig café. “It was wonderful. Very relaxing ...

TOKYO (AP) — First there were cafés that allowed pets. Then came cat cafés, where lattes took second place to feline interaction. The latest craze in Japan: The pig café. “It was wonderful. Very ...

Customers play with a micro pig at a mipig cafe, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Tokyo. The Mipig Café in fashionable Harajuku is among 10 pig cafés that have opened around Japan. The animals, known as ...