Inside the basement beneath one of Umeda’s Ekimae Buildings is a coffee shop unlike any other in Osaka. Stained glass windows cast colored light across a vintage piano and a Hollywood-style bar, all part of a space with roots stretching back to 1970. This is King of Kings, sister shop to the legendary Madura, and both carry the story of one remarkable man.
King of Kings キング オブ キングス [Map] 1-3-1 Umeda (Osaka Ekimae Daiichi Building B1F), Kita Ward, Osaka. Nearest station: Nishi-Umeda (Yotsubashi Line), Exit 7A. Tel: 06-6345-3100. Open: Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. Closed: Sun. Price: ¥300-¥2,999.
Madura マドゥーラ [Map] 1-3-1 Umeda (Osaka Ekimae Daiichi Building B1F), Kita Ward, Osaka. Nearest station: Nishi-Umeda (Yotsubashi Line), Exit 7A. Tel: 06-6345-3400. Open: Mon-Fri 9:00-21:00, Sat 9:00-18:00. Closed: Sun. Price: ¥550-¥999.
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History of Two Classic Coffee Shops
I first discovered a photo of King of Kings in a tattered old magazine I purchased at a dusty used bookstore. The stunning stained glass window and grand interior immediately caught my attention, and I knew I had to visit as soon as possible. After making the trip, I delved into the history of its sister shop, Madura, and the remarkable man behind them both.
Liu Shengsen was born in Taiwan in 1920. After graduating university Liu moved to Osaka to work for a trading company, but his dream was to open a coffee shop in the style of Bolero, the world-famous coffee shop in Taipei. In 1947, he opened a café in a yamiichi—black market near Osaka Station in Umeda, naming it Madura after an Indonesian island he had visited as a student and remembered fondly.
Liu brought an electric gramophone from America so he could play classical music in the shop. Business was booming—the combination of classical music and fresh brewed coffee made the shop an instant hit. Liu was able to remodel the shop into a three story building with a residence on the second floor.
Move to the Ekimae Building
By the end of the 1960s, Osaka had begun constructing the Osaka Ekimae Buildings on the former site of the black market. Ekimae Building No. 1 was completed in 1970, and Madura relocated to its basement. The shop’s design was entrusted to architect Nahiko Sokawa, who created two distinct themes.
One half, completed in 1969, features a chic and calming atmosphere. The other half, finished in 1970 and called “Space,” was inspired by the Apollo Moon Landings and was designed to look the the inside of a spaceship. It was also influenced by futuristic atmosphere of Expo 1970, which was held in Osaka.
Mr Liu Shengsen sadly passed away in 2023, at the age of 103, and the shop is now run by his son and daughter. The retro-futuristic space remains unchanged and you can read about a recent visit here.
Visiting King of Kings
Sister shop King of Kings was opened in 1970. It was designed by architect Numata Shuichi, who was only 28 at the time. The young architect had the idea to add stain glass windows with an elaborate color pattern to take advantage of the fact that the underground area was bright from morning until night. Despite the high cost at the time, Liu Shengsen immediately agreed to the plan.
I stopped by King of Kings on a weekday and it was rather quiet with very few customers scattered about. I chose a seat near a vintage piano in pristine condition. He named the coffee shop King of Kings because he wanted his customers to feel like kings wherever they sat. I ordered a cup of coffee and a club sandwich.
When he opened the shop, Liu charged ¥250 yen for a cup of coffee, and didn’t raise the price for over 30 years, even during the high rolling days of the bubble economy. The price is currently ¥350, but everything on the menu goes up by ¥200 after 5PM. It’s a good thing I arrived just in the nick of time at 4:30. But seriously, I wouldn’t mind paying extra, because it looks like a museum. In fact, sister shop Madura was designated a Living Architecture Museum by the City of Osaka in 2014.
King of Kings: A Classic Bar
I decide to look around before my order arrives. On the way to the restroom I spy the entrance to the bar, which looks like something out of a classic Hollywood film. The bartender is a young man who is impeccably dressed in a freshly ironed white shirt with a black vest and bow tie that is definitely not a clip-on.
When the shop first opened they served their own brand of blended Scotch whiskey called King of Kings. Nowadays they serve Old Parr, which was considered a status symbol during the Showa era. Despite the decor, the drinks are reasonably priced; a glass of Old Parr is only ¥600. It comes with a piece of chocolate, a tradition here, for an extra ¥200.
I noticed that some of the customers have bottle keeps with their names in them which are stored in an impressive display case. I decide right then and there that one of my life goals is to have a bottle with my name on it at this very place. Sure, it costs 11,000 yen but doesn’t everyone deserve to feel like a full-fledged king every once in a while?
King of Dessert
Realizing that my wife would never allow it, I decide to do the next best thing by splurging for dessert. I choose pudding a la mode which comes with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and fresh slices of pineapple, orange, kiwi and grapefruit. It sets me ¥750, which is exactly ¥10, 250 less than the price of a bottle keep, but I savor every bite and morsel.
