In May 2024, Time Coffee Ginza, a rare hourly cafe, opened in Ginza.
For 990 yen per hour (free time service also available), you get all-you-can-drink drinks and a free morning lunch , making it a very reasonable price for a cafe in the Ginza area. Many of the seats have power outlets and Wi-Fi, so it's a great place to take a break, and a must-see spot for anyone looking for a place in Ginza where they can do remote work more casually than a coworking space .
In this article, we will report on our experience using the store, including how it feels to use for remote work, so please read on for more information.
*All prices include tax.
*Information current as of the time of coverage. For the latest information, please check the official Instagram account .
Address: 1F and B1F, Ginza 111 Leisure Building, 4-2-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Access: 1 minute walk from Ginza Station B10 exit, 2 minutes walk from Yurakucho Station A0 (East) exit
Business hours: 7:00 to 5:00 the next morning
Closing days: Open all year round
Number of seats: 112 (1st floor non-smoking floor: 42 seats, 1st basement floor smoking floor: 70 seats)
・A 30-minute time-based system (starting with 60 minutes) allows you to enter and exit as you please within the time limit.
-All-you -can-drink from over 50 varieties of carefully selected coffee and soft drinks.
・If you enter the restaurant between 7:00 and 13:30, you will receive one free item from the six morning lunch menu items .
– Wi-Fi and power outlets are provided at most seats , making it convenient for remote work.
– The booth seats for remote work are equipped with reclining seats .
– Smoking areas are completely separated and the space is spacious, along with the non-smoking areas.
-The opening hours are long, from 7:00 to 5:00 the next morning, so it could also be used as an inexpensive place to escape if you miss the last train .
Time Coffee Ginza was opened as a new business by B&V Corporation, which operates the karaoke chain Karaokekan.
When we spoke to Kenichi Arai, General Manager of the Sales Promotion Division at B&V, about the reasons for taking on this new business model, he said that due to population decline and the spread of remote work, the karaoke industry has not yet recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they decided that further business expansion was necessary. The company's strength is providing services in its own buildings located in front of train stations, and Time Coffee Ginza store took advantage of this strength by opening on the first and basement floors of the building that houses Karaokekan Ginza Main Store, which is close to the station.
"Time Coffee Ginza" adopts a self-service system
Store exterior, first floor entrance
The basement floor entrance is accessible by elevator down from a separate entrance.
There are two entrances, one for the non-smoking floor on the first floor and one for the smoking floor on the basement, but you can move between floors inside the store.
"TTG-MONSTAR GATEWAY" where users can check in and settle their bills themselves
Upon entering the entrance, there are no staff members in sight. Instead, there is a "TTG-MONSTAR GATEWAY" terminal that combines a multi-function self-checkout and a gate, where customers can select and purchase their "stay time" and check in.
The system feels more like a drop-in coworking space than a cafe. However, there is no need to register as a member or download an app, which is common in coworking spaces, and the operation itself is very easy if you follow the instructions on the screen, so even first-time users won't have any trouble.
Price list
It is a time-based system similar to karaoke, with the basic fee being 990 yen for 60 minutes. It can be extended in 30-minute (495 yen) increments. (Elementary school students are half price, preschoolers are free.)
There is also a free time service available, allowing you to stay for up to four hours between 7:00 and 22:00, or up to six hours between 22:00 and 5:00 the next morning for just 2,200 yen .
If you enter the store between 7:00 and 13:30, you will be shown a screen where you can choose one free item from the morning lunch menu (details below). (If you don't want one, just press the "No meal required" button.)
Payment methods include cash, transportation IC cards, QR codes, and credit cards.
This restaurant requires payment in advance when you enter. If you want to extend your stay or order from the light meal menu that is available from 1:30pm onwards, you can order and pay each time at the "TTG-MONSTAR GATEWAY" also located inside the restaurant.
This self-ordering and gate management system has enabled staff reduction in the restaurant industry, which is constantly short on manpower. The efficient operation has led to the restaurant's reasonable pricing.
Entrance and exit gate
Once you've finished checking in, you'll be given a receipt with a QR code printed on it, which you can then hold over the gate to enter the store. You'll need this QR code when you leave and re-enter the store, as well as when placing additional orders, so be careful not to lose it.
Inside the store. All-you-can-drink drink corners are set up on each floor.
The concept of the store is "a relaxing and comfortable space like an airport lounge," with 42 non-smoking seats on the first floor and 70 smoking seats (52 for heated tobacco products and 16 for paper cigarettes) on the basement floor, for a total of 112 seats.
Customers can choose their seats freely, and of course they can move around. Although you cannot reserve seats in advance at this restaurant, it is helpful that there are so many seats, so the chances of the restaurant being full are reduced. Calm background music was playing inside the restaurant.
The first floor is an open area with large windows. It seems to be available as terrace seating depending on the timing. Please note that only the seats in this area are not equipped with power outlets.
1st floor, window area
First floor, a slightly secluded work area
First floor: Reclining chairs in booths recommended for remote work
It's a little disappointing that some of the seats on the first floor don't have power outlets, but if you're just stopping by for a break, you'll definitely want to choose the open terrace seats, or you can move to the terrace seats for a short break while working at the booth seats.
I was surprised by how showy the staircase connecting the first floor and the basement was.
There are more seats on the basement floor, the smoking floor.
There is also plenty of booth seating on the basement floor.
On the first basement floor, the area reserved for cigarettes was separated by a door.
The basement floor, which is the smoking floor, was very spacious. Smoking seats in cafes are often crammed into a small space, but here you can relax and enjoy your cigarette and meal. The installation of these smoking seats is also aimed at eliminating street smoking, which spoils the city's scenery.
Basement 1st floor, entrance
Basement 1st floor, telephone room
Basement 1st floor, coin lockers
I also thought it was unusual for a cafe to have coin lockers. The fact that you can come and go as you please during the designated hours would be useful for those who want to stop by the cafe during a long shopping trip.
Drink corner
The all-you-can-drink drink corner is located on both the first floor and basement, so you don't have to go up and down the stairs, which is a nice feature.
The drinks on offer include coffee made with special blend beans, emerald mountain beans, and Kilimanjaro blend beans, as well as cafe lattes, cafe mochas, etc. In addition, there is a wide variety of soft drinks such as Pepsi cola, ginger ale, and orange juice, five types of specially selected health teas, and corn potage .
It also shows how to make mixed drinks by combining two different soft drinks, bringing the total number of drinks to more than 50.
At the drinks corner, you could choose the strength of your coffee from normal to "strong" or "refreshing."
Drink corner, soft drinks, etc. Next to it is a mixed drink compatibility chart.
Morning lunch includes one free item from the Japanese or Western menu. Paid light meals include baguette sandwiches and waffles.
Morning and Lunch Menu
The free morning lunch menu mentioned above is available in six varieties: hotcakes, red bean toast, pizza toast, gratin toast, pork miso soup and grilled rice balls, and kitsune udon . The rare pork miso soup and grilled rice balls and kitsune udon are sure to please not only Japanese food lovers but also inbound tourists.
Pick-up counter
I ordered pizza toast. The receipt number will be displayed on the monitors on each floor, so you can go to the counter to pick it up. (Please bring any tableware you have used to the return counter.)
The hot pizza toast was chock-full of cheese. I didn't have high expectations since it was free, but the sauce was rich and the bacon was tasty, and it was plenty filling for me, who usually likes a light breakfast.
Pizza toast comes with french fries.
Between 1:30 and 10:00 p.m., morning lunch is not available, but you can order light meals and desserts from the menu for an additional fee.
Tea chiffon cake (265 yen), berry waffle (340 yen)
Graham Roll Sandwich (Bacon & Cheese) (530 yen)
The lineup includes nine types: "Tea Chiffon Cake," "Berry Waffle," "Graham Roll Sandwich (Bacon & Cheese)," "Baguette Sandwich (Ham & Cheese)," "Tortilla Dog," "Caramel Chocolate Roll," "Cinnamon Roll," "Ice Cream Cake (Yogurt Fruit)," and "Ice Cream Cake (Berry Rare Cheese)." Prices range from 265 yen to 530 yen, making them very reasonable.
In addition to snacks, it seems that miscellaneous items such as charging cables and eye masks were also available for purchase.
How does it feel to use for remote work?
Working on a PC at a booth.
I actually tried working on a PC at a booth on the first floor. I visited the booth around 8:00, and since it had only just opened, there were hardly any people there, so I was able to concentrate.
There is ample space between the seats, and the booth seats on the first floor have a wall behind them, so you don't have to worry about people passing by. The reclining seats are not too soft, but have just the right amount of cushioning, so they fit your back comfortably. The height can be adjusted, so there's little worry about your posture being affected if the height isn't right.
If you get tired, you can recline the seat and take a comfortable break.
I once again realized how grateful I am to be able to enjoy as many cups of freshly brewed coffee as I want at any time to wake myself up.
Like the author, some people may feel embarrassed or worried about what others think when they work in a cafe, thinking, "I wonder if I'm bothering the cafe if I don't place a new order at least once an hour…" However, this cafe has a "buy time to stay" style, so you can spend your time here without having to worry about who else might notice.
If you're simply looking for a workspace, it would be cheaper to use the free-time service at Karaokekan, which is in the same building, but if you're looking to drink quality coffee, are looking for an open space, or find it easier to work with a moderate amount of hustle and bustle, then Time Coffee Ginza is the place to go.
■ Overview of "Time Coffee Ginza Store"
| address | Ginza 111 Leisure Building 1st floor and basement 1st floor, 4-2-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo |
| access | Approximately 1 minute walk from Ginza Station, Exit B10, Approximately 2 minutes walk from Yurakucho Station, Exit A0 (East) |
| business hours | 7:00 to 5:00 the next morning |
| Holiday | Open all year round |
| Number of seats | 112 seats (1st floor non-smoking floor: 42 seats, 1st basement floor smoking floor: 70 seats) |
| https://www.instagram.com/timecoffee_ginza |
*The contents of this article are from the time of coverage. They may differ from the latest information, so please check the official Instagram for details.
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