Nearly a century old, this ‘masterpiece cafe’ in Tokyo discourages socializing and forbids mobile phones

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Nearly a century old, this ‘masterpiece cafe’ in Tokyo discourages socializing and forbids mobile phones

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN (CNN) — Walking into the Lion Cafe, in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, the first thing one notices is the seating. All chairs face one direction, towards two gigantic speakers on the wall, the stars of this 98-year-old institution. It’s one of the city’s few remaining meikyoku kissa, or masterpiece cafés. “Meikyoku kissa is a place that plays classical music, where customers can listen to music, have a drink and relax,” says …