1. Why London Coffee Houses Were Called "Penny Universities"
A penny is an old British unit of money. In 17th-century London, coffee houses had an entry fee of about 1 penny. Because customers could read newspapers and printed materials there, they earned the nickname "Penny Universities" [1]. They were not schools, but this name shows they were places where people gathered to listen and get information. The price details vary in different records. English sources say the entry fee was 1 penny, while Japanese sources describe a system with a 1-penny entry fee plus 2 pennies for a cup of coffee [1][2]. Here, we stick to "about 1 penny." For a long time, it was said that the first shop in London was opened by Pasqua Rosee near Cornhill in 1652. However, while the location is confirmed by a lease in parish records, the claim that it was the "first" is based on recollections written decades later [3].
2. Why King Charles II's Order to Close Coffee Houses Was Cancelled in 10 Days
On December 29, 1675, King Charles II issued a proclamation to close coffee houses. It was scheduled to take effect on January 10, 1676 [4]. The reasons listed in the proclamation included merchants wasting work time there and the creation and spread of rumors criticizing the government [4]. Places where people could freely gather and talk seemed to be a worry for the King. However, on January 8, 1676, another proclamation was issued, and the closure order was cancelled. This happened 10 days after the first proclamation and just 2 days before it was to take effect [5]. Some explanations suggest that petitions from shop owners were behind this reversal [5]. Note that Japanese explanations sometimes attribute this ban to James II, but the proclamation documents identify Charles II as the issuer [2][4].
3. How Edward Lloyd's Coffee House Drew Ship Information Seekers and Is Linked to the Stock Exchange Name
Edward Lloyd’s shop on Tower Street in London first appeared in the newspaper *London Gazette* in 1688. It was a place where ship owners and captains gathered to seek information about ships [6]. When it moved to Lombard Street in 1691, it became a place where individuals underwrote ship insurance. Insurance is a system where everyone shares the cost of damage if a ship has an accident. The name of today’s global insurance market, "Lloyd's," comes from this shop [6]. In 1734, the "Lloyd's List" was published, featuring information on ship arrivals, departures, cargo, and pirates. It is considered one of the oldest publications still in existence [7]. However, the 1734 edition was published by Thomas Jemson, not Lloyd himself [7]. Similar things happened in other shops. In 1773, stockbrokers who gathered at a shop called Jonathan’s reportedly changed the shop’s name to "The Stock Exchange" [1]. Tea surpassed coffee by the 1750s; coffee houses increasingly served wealthy customers and declined [1].
4. Kafica in Ueno: Japan's First Coffee Shop, with Newspapers and Games
In 1888 (Meiji 21), Kafica opened in Ueno, Tokyo. It is known as Japan’s first coffee shop. The shop reportedly had newspapers, magazines, playing cards, Go, Shogi, and cricket, as well as a writing room for letters [8]. A pamphlet from this shop stated that foreign tea and coffee houses served as social spaces, gathering places for artists, and meeting halls for merchants [8]. Like the London shops, Kafica offered newspapers for customers to read. However, the prices were not affordable. Black coffee cost 1.5 sen, and coffee with milk cost 2 sen. This was a luxury item in an era when soba (buckwheat noodles) cost about 0.8 to 1 sen. Compared to soba, coffee was nearly 1.5 to 2 times the price [11]. The shop closed in 1892. Reasons cited include financial difficulties and investment failures, but explanations vary, and high prices alone cannot be blamed [11].
5. How Cafes and Shops Without Alcohol Spread in Tokyo in 1911
In 1911 (Meiji 44), shops called "cafes" opened one after another in Tokyo. These included Printemps in March, Lion in August, and Paulista in December [9]. Paulista advertised a low price of 5 sen per cup of coffee and became popular for having uniformed boys serve customers instead of female waitresses [9]. Eventually, cafes became strongly associated with female waitresses and alcohol. In 1929 (Showa 4), the Metropolitan Police Department issued guidelines for regulating cafes and bars [10]. In the early 1940s, some shops advertised themselves as a healthier alternative. One example is "Brasileiro," which opened in Osaka in 1930 (Showa 5) and advertised the "complete elimination of alcohol" [10]. The number of coffee shops also grew. According to National Diet Library records, there were 55 shops immediately after a major earthquake, but by 1928 (Showa 3), there were 671. This is an increase of about 12 times [10]. In this trend, shops that did not serve alcohol came to be called "pure cafes" and were distinguished from cafes.
6. How Coffee Shops Began Playing Music and How the Number of Shops Changed
Coffee shops that played music existed even in the Taisho era. After the war, jazz cafes, classic music cafes, and chanson cafes spread [10][11]. Classic music cafes spread in the 1950s, when it was difficult for individuals to buy expensive stereos and classic records. They reached their peak in the 1960s. After the 1970s, as people could listen to records at home, the number of these shops decreased [12]. This suggests that these shops changed as records became easier to enjoy at home. The total number of coffee shops also decreased. Records show a drop from 154,630 shops in 1981 to 69,977 in 2014. This is a reduction of about 55% [11]. London newspapers, the writing room at Kafica, and records at classic music cafes suggest that shops were not just selling coffee.
7. How You Can Investigate Coffee Shops and Old Shops Near Your Home
You can try investigating or checking things like this. If there is a coffee shop or an old shop near your home, with an adult, read the sign and menu from outside the shop. If you can go inside, look for newspapers, magazines, books, or records. Write down what the shop provides besides coffee in your own words. The National Diet Library’s "Kaleidoscope of Books" series on coffee shops can be read with photos and historical materials [8][9][10]. Compare what the advertisements for Kafica and cafes looked like.