LITTLE CAVE

Eat, Drink, Rule and Conquer!
[updated November 2022]

Tokyo is full of unique cafes, often born from their owner’s hobby or interest, such as animal cafes or manga cafes. Little Cave is a cafe in Koenji that was born from the idea of a young board game fan who has a large collection of many board games. The owner told us, “I wanted many of my friends to try my favorite board games, and that led me to open this café.” The cafe started with 800 board games in July 2016, capturing many local and international game maniacs’ attention to try all of the board games on their shelves. It’s a great place to hang out with friends, but if you’re flying solo, no worries, because they also have single player games, and you could always join another table to play together and make new friends. Almost all of the board games have English rules and explanations so you won’t get lost. There are many varieties and levels to choose from, whether you are a beginner or advanced. Some popular games include Carcassonne, Dynasties, and Splendor. Ask the staff for their best recommendations.

Now, Little Cave has over 1500 board games displayed and can be played freely for as low as 350 yen per 30 minutes on weekdays (500 yen on weekends). You can also get the 5 hour package for 2000 yen, and prices are half off if you are a student and have student ID. Food and drinks including alcohol can be ordered while you enjoy the games. We recommend their signature pancake shaped like one of the pieces from the popular board game Carcassonne (various flavors starting t 500 yen). They also serve main dishes like pasta and rice which you can order as a set with one drink and 90 minutes playing time, and they also have an extensive burger menu (Little Cave Burger, 800 yen)! If you’re a fan of board games, you absolutely have to check out this cafe in Koenji.

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Writer/Photographer: Elvira