As a Japanese person living in Berlin, I have a soft spot for places that embody Japanese culture well. Exactly as Kissabodoes, and it was created by two Polish people. Culture travels well when it’s done so with care. Step inside and let the city fall away. Kissabo carries a nostalgic calm — unhurried, quiet, a little removed from everything outside. The name says it all: a blend of kissaten, the traditional Japanese neighbourhood café, and sabō, a space devoted to tea and stillness. This is not a place that performs; it simply is. Behind it are Gosia and Marcin, who discovered Japanese tea through years of travelling. What started as curiosity deepened into something closer to a philosophy — one rooted in craft, tradition, and the values that form around a bowl of tea. That philosophy takes shape at Kissabo. Matcha is made fresh, sourced directly from a trusted Japanese producer, and served in handcrafted vessels. Alongside it, Gyokuro, Genmaicha and Hojicha are brewed slowly, each with its own character.
For those who want to go deeper, a set matcha menu pairs three preparations with a selection of handmade sweets. The mochi is soft and delicately sweet — Daifuku filled with red bean paste and seasonal ingredients, Dango shaped from rice flour — made fresh and enjoyed with tea. A small menu of non-alcoholic, seasonal cocktails rounds things out for those in a different mood. The space itself is considered. Seats at the bar face the preparation, a larger communal table invites longer stays, and a tatami area offers a quiet space. On the shelves is a hand-picked selection of Japanese craft objects. Among them, tea caddies by Kaikado, the kind you want to pick up and hold. Things made to last, displayed without fuss. If you need a moment away from the city — and a quiet detour into another culture — this is where to go.
Text: Akiko Watanabe / Photos: Robyn Steffen
Kissabo, Kopenhagener Str.16, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
@kissabo.berlin
