Japanese cafe only welcomes 10 customers, forced to "run deadline" before being allowed to go home

(Dan Tri) - A quiet space, a constantly updated progress board and the "you can only leave after finishing your work" rule turn a coffee shop in Japan into a special meeting place for writers and curious tourists.

According to Channel News Asia , Manuscript Writing Cafe is located in Tokyo's Koenji district and is specially designed for writers, from writers, editors to translators and storyboard designers, to "run deadlines".

The shop's owner, Takuya Kawai, a freelance editor, says he created the shop to “help people fight procrastination,” a common habit among creatives.

Unlike regular cafes, when entering Manuscript Writing Cafe, customers must fill out a registration form stating their work goals, what percentage they will complete, and in what time period.

The owner is a freelance editor who wants to help people fight procrastination (Photo: The Guardian).

Each guest can choose the level of “supervision” they want, including light (only being reminded when the time is almost up), medium (being asked about progress every hour) and strict (staff regularly checking and constantly encouraging until completion).

During the working hours, customers will be served coffee, water or snacks, but no one is allowed to leave before reaching the target, unless the shop closes. Owner Kawai said this “strict” rule is not to create pressure but to let customers “take responsibility for themselves”.

The space is simply decorated with about 10 seats, each table is equipped with power outlets, strong wifi, soft yellow light and very low background music to create concentration. On the wall, the progress board is constantly updated so everyone can see who has "surpassed the deadline" and who is still "struggling".

Customers coming to the shop must concentrate on completing their work (Photo: Takuya Kawai).

According to NDTV Food , the service fee at the restaurant is 150 yen (about 26,000 VND) for the first 30 minutes, then 300 yen (about 52,000 VND) per hour - a fee considered "reasonable" compared to the Tokyo average.

On Japanese social networks, many users shared interesting experiences of being "publicly monitored for deadlines".

One person wrote: “I thought I would be stressed, but I was more focused than ever. Someone gently reminded me so I didn’t dare procrastinate anymore.”

Another student commented: “It felt like running a marathon but on a keyboard. When I completed my goal and was allowed to leave the cafe, I felt extremely satisfied.”

The shop has some equipment for work (Photo: Hanako Montgomery).

The owner told Channel News Asia that he initially only intended to open the model as a “trial”, but unexpectedly it attracted hundreds of visitors each month, including many foreign tourists.

“Some people come to Tokyo just to experience the feeling of ‘you can’t go home until you finish your work.’ That makes me very happy,” he said.

Some guests say they come here not only to get work done but also to experience the unique “deadline culture” – where productivity is respected as an art of living.

International newspapers have described this as “one of the strangest cafes in the world ”. The Guardian commented that this model “reflects the Japanese culture of discipline and high sense of responsibility”, while the Times of India said that it “has become a destination for those who want to challenge their ability to concentrate”.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/quan-ca-phe-nhat-ban-chi-don-10-khach-bat-chay-deadline-xong-moi-duoc-ve-20251011201133703.htm