The Asia Trip: Liberte - France in Japan

While I was in Kyoto, one of my fellow travelers recommended we try a French bakery and cafe called Liberte which I have to say tried to be very authentic, which I say having never been to France, but you'll see why in a bit.

Stepping in through the door, we were greeted with the sights and, more importantly, the smells of a European-style boulangerie (which, a quick Google search reveals, is a bakery specializing in breads, rolls, and the like).

Look! They are wearing red... bandanas? Hm... How about they are wearing black like beatniks?

Lots of yummy bread and pastries to eat. Of course, there were Japanese variants as well which tended to feature denser, softer bread.

Upstairs was the cafe part which looked fairly upscale. The menu was only in French and Japanese. Maybe they cater to French expats?

So here's where the authenticity bit comes in... it seems everything here was made in France and imported. Since it was still early in the day, the cafe was empty but for ourselves, so I started exploring for origin labels.

My latte. The spoon, cup, and saucer are all from France. It seems a lot of expense but maybe authenticity of th experience means a lot to some patrons or the owner.

I had this potage. I forget what was in it but it was very creamy, savory but with a bit of sweetness. It was also very yellow. The cup, saucer, and spoon here are, yes, from France.

My compatriots tried a French onion soup. I didn't try it myself but it looks pretty good.

I even checked the bathroom. You know, because I'm thorough... okay, and I had to go pee. Anyway, the whole sink is from France. I don't remember if the soap was, but I wouldn't be surprised at this point.

Aha! The toilet is definitely not from France. That is definitely a Japanese toilet. Please note how it is plugged into the wall outlet. It had the full complement of heated seats and bidet functions. There's also a sensor so that the toilet lid opens when you walk in.