This post was written in 2022. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.

Yokohama has an area called Yamate. Think of it as an upscale residential neighborhood up on a hill. In Korea, “up on a hill” brings to mind poor hillside districts, but in fact upscale neighborhoods have always tended to sit on the high ground. Anyway, Kissa Elena is a cafe right in the middle of that upscale neighborhood.

A view like this

You get a good look out over downtown Yokohama.

The front entrance

Cash only

As you’d expect from a cafe with a long history, they take cash only.

The menu

There’s a big cafe menu. I really agonized over what to get, but since this wasn’t going to be the whole meal, I decided to keep the order light.

The menu

Flowers

The tables are on the small side, but they’re nicely done.

Oshibori

Cream soda

It’s a dessert with a scoop of ice cream on melon soda, and the fizzy refreshment and the richness come together into something seriously good. Glad I made the climb up the hill.

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