Now that washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) is part of the World¡¯s Intangible Cultural Heritage, the next step is to make the nation¡¯s kissaten (tea and coffee shops) part of the world¡¯s tangible cultural heritage before they disappear.
Mazura, in Osaka¡¯s Umeda district, definitely deserves heritage status. It has been around since at least 1960 and, despite all the changes, remains a remnant of the Showa Era (1926-89) ¡ª a point emphasized by the silver ashtrays on each table. This is paradise for a smoker (i.e., salaryman), but thankfully the smoke wasn¡¯t so off-putting during a recent visit.
What a space it is: an approximation of what an airport lounge might have looked during the heyday of international travel, back when it was exclusive, classy . . . and smoky.
The center of the cafe is dominated by a circular lounge, but my host guides me away from this exclusive area reserved for people further up the pecking order.
Mirrors, fake flowers and a model of a tall ship make up the decor, and the menu is just as spectacularly average: coffee, tea, toast and crustless egg sandwiches. Baristas need not apply.
Mazura harks back to the days when everyone smoked (or at least that¡¯s how it seemed), when a cafe was an extension of its master¡¯s personality ¡ª how else to explain the life-sized Johnnie Walker statue guarding the entrance?
B1F Osaka Eki Mae Building One, 1-3-1, Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka; 06-6345-3400; nearest stations, Umeda, Kitashinchi, Nishi-Umeda; open 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; closed Sunday; set meals from ?350; smoking OK; Japanese menu, Japanese spoken.
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