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Almond Cafe in Roppongi, a famous meeting spot near the Roppongi intersection, will close on Saturday because the building it is in will be torn down. The cafe opened in 1964, the same year Tokyo held the Summer Olympics. Its long opening hours (9 a.m. – 5 a.m.) and it being open every day of the year helped it to become a symbol of Roppongi and the most popular meeting spot in the area.
A spokesperson for the cafe said: “Many people have come to love this place over a long time, but the building is old now so we’ve got to move. We’re pretty busy with the increased business during New Year and also with preparations for the new place.”
The cafe will relocate on Jan 9 to a store about one minute from its current location.
The company that runs the Almond cafes was founded in 1946, and is said to be the first food and beverage business in Japan that handed out "oshibori" - moistened hand towels - to customers before they ordered.
© Japan Today
12 Comments
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shinjukuboy
Oh no! Let anything change in Tokyo but this! So many memories.
Patricia Yarrow
Don't worry, Shinjukuboy, it will be just one-minute away. Hope they keep the cheerful pink and white overhang.
USNinJapan2
Sigh : ( Roppongi just lost it's last remaining bit of charm for me. Guess it had to happend some time...
Sarge
"the first food and beverage business in Japan that handed out oshibori to customers before they ordered"
As opposed to places that hand out oshibori to customers only after they order something ha ha ha!
Elbuda Mexicano
Oh my God! My life will never be the same in Roppongi if I have to walk 1 extra minute to get to the Almond Café!
meanmutha
yep this was my pit stop for the toilet for an array of things in the young days.
Richard_the_First
44 years equals and old building, ffs. In my country, houses and buildings are built to last.
PepinGalarga
with the millions of tons of ultramodern concrete, glass and metals going up in the area, i am not surprised. that building is prime real estate.
ScottishThug
Sarge, yes, that was the way it was done before. I don't get what's so funny about that.
PuffinMuffin
natsukashii
tokyokitty
lol!never been inside ALMOND, but whenever I go to meet someone in Roppi. The landmark I would say to meet me up is in front of ALMOND..hehhe
TheTim
Hopefully those annoying African guys in Roppongi will 'relocate' also. I don't even go to Roppongi anymore because of those idiots.