Yuji Nishimura and Seiichiro Shimamura, who also directs 0044 Paris, named the brand after Thoreau's 'Walden.' The original opened in 2017 near Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto inside a 1912 Taisho-era house. Bangkok launched in 2024 on Ekkamai Soi 12, replicating the all-white interior with stepped wooden seating rising around a central white tree.
The vintage Probat produces Walden Blend from Colombian and Ethiopian beans, alongside Walden Wolf Blend mixing Brazil, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica. Kyoto-sourced matcha and handmade chai with spices from the founders' travels fill out the menu.