Geotype Submission

The Geotype project charts the rich history of lettering and type forms that have established the identity of cities and towns around the world. Explore the map

How does this letter-form communicate its location?

This is a cafe called ‘Arabiya coffee’ opened in 1951 (Arabiya coffee, 2005). This Katakana has a retro atmosphere which many old cafes in Japan use. Japan has three characters, but Katakana has the most nostalgic taste. Katakana had been primarily used than Hiragana before the post Second World War (Wikipedia, 2021). Therefore, This old Katakana font makes an impression that this city has a long history. Nowadays, ‘Showa Retro’, which people admire in the Showa-era's reflective culture, is becoming popular among young generations. Such retro cafes are becoming popular again, and quaint revival cafes also use Katakana fonts.

Location

日本、大阪府大阪市中央区難波１丁目６−７