Japan's endless menu of themed cafes tend to cater more towards fantasy, pop culture, and cute animals, as opposed to the country's more traditional and historic side. For those looking to take a break from the maids, vampires, and fetish themed restaurants often found in Tokyo, the city now has just the spot for you with Touken Saryou, a cafe where you can admire masterpiece katanas with your meal

Touken Saryou is located in Tokyo's mecca of tech and anime subculture, Akihabara, and offers up a refreshing change of pace from the district's parade of maid cafes. While that may worry you that the cafe may be a bit of a gimmick, the swords behind the display cases are certified works of art by The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords. Each blade receives daily maintenance and is properly dated and noted by the craftsman. This means you can gaze upon authentic masterpiece katana and other blades as you eat.

Touken Saryou's Twitter account showcases many of the swords, as well as their history, and notes that blade maintenance require control of humidity and temperature in the restaurant, making the cafe a bit chilly. For your convenience they provide blankets in case you get cold. Fortunately a menu of hot food, desserts, and cocktails is available to make the steel katanas the coldest thing in the room.

An opportunity to look at authentic blades such as these has the cafe booked with reservations up until July 3rd, after that those who want to admire the shiny and sleek side of Japan's historic weapons can find Touken Saryou located just a three minute walk from Akihabara station on the first floor of Sumi Grill Barr Ura Akihabara.