Article by: Rio Murakami

Why can't we even "take a break at a cafe" in the city? The root cause of the increasing number of "café refugees"

With a daytime population of over 16 million, Tokyo is one of the world's leading megalopolises, and the number of foreign visitors to Japan is increasing.

However, crowding in Tokyo's cafes has become so severe that the phenomenon of “not being able to get into a café for a break” has become a hot topic on social networking sites.

Cafes in popular spots such as Shibuya and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa are often fully booked even on weekdays, with lines forming on weekends.

The café boom, the increase in tourists, and the influence of SNS have made it difficult to even casually take a break at a café.