Coffee in Japan

The Japanese love their coffee, and you’ll find a coffee shop on pretty much every block in every city. So, you won't struggle to get a cup of coffee - the challenge however is if you’re after an “Aussie” style coffee.

Coffee shops run the gamut in Japan from the old school, very traditional kissaten shops (featuring drip coffee) to uber chic, minimalist artisanal coffee roasters offering pour over-coffee.

With so many options available you would think it’d be easy to find a flat white. Sadly, it's not quite as straightforward – unless you know where to look…

(Note: we love our coffee at The Japan Concierge, but we are in no way experts. Coffee, like art, is deeply subjective, and our recommendations are based on our personal tastes and preferences).

The first thing to understand is that not all coffee shops in Japan serve espresso-based coffee which means for the Australians out there, you’re going to struggle to find a coffee as good as your macchiato from your local cafe back home.

We love Japan for its amazing culture and the way that the Japanese adopt, modify and often improve things that we take for granted back home. Coffee is no exception, like everything else, Japan has its own take on coffee culture.

Many visitors to Japan are surprised to find that drip coffee, both traditional and the newer pour-over style coffee (updated drip coffee tech and presentation) is the standard here. In Japan (as in the US) people will assume that when you refer to coffee you are asking for a drip coffee (unless you ask for a cafe latte/ espresso/ cappuccino etc), so you need to be specific. If you’re from the US, then you’re sorted as you’ll be accustomed to drinking drip coffee.

So how do you find a good flat white while visiting this amazing county?

Chains – there are a multitude of Japanese coffee chains and while some are definitely worth visiting as part of your Japanese experience, most are not worth visiting for the coffee alone.

Many do offer a decent cup of coffee, but the quality will vary based on the chain and even the person making the coffee for you.  

In terms of Japanese espresso-based coffee chains, many are largely based on the Starbucks model (that's a whole different story), so you can read into that what you will. It's worth noting that most don't have baristas - a machine does it all.

The good thing about chain coffee stores is that they are everywhere, they open early and offer great value breakfast sets which will get you a piece of toast and a coffee for about $5.

If you really need a caffeine hit, then Tully’s is possibly the best bet - they have baristas and are well-represented. Doutor is another if you are struggling - no baristas but the coffee is generally decent (although it can be a little hit-and-miss).

To every rule there are exceptions and the Japanese chain %ARABICA is excellent. They’re not huge, so you’ll need to look for them, but their coffee is excellent.

Starbucks is everywhere, and yes, they serve Starbucks - so you can make your own call on that one. Blue Bottle Coffee from the States makes a decent café latte and flat white, so if you need a fix, this is a good option. Blue Bottle is fairly well represented in the bigger centres (although not to Starbucks levels).

All Press (a favourite of ours) is now roasted in Japan and they have over 130 points of presence across Japan, including two of their own shops in Tokyo.

In an Emergency (yes, coffee emergencies are real!)

So, what to do if you need a (real) coffee and you can’t find a café that makes an espresso-based flat white or macchiato? Order a café au lait if you are super desperate, this is drip coffee mixed with milk (basically a milky coffee). It won’t ever be as good as an espresso-based coffee, but still a good alternative to straight drip coffee.

Vending machines. The ubiquitous vending machine is everywhere in Japan, and you can buy a hot (or cold) canned coffee pretty much anywhere. Be warned though that these tend to be incredibly sweet so if you’re unaccustomed to sugar in your coffee these may not be for you.

Kombini (Convenience Stores) are your friend here. You can pretty much get anything at a kombini, even a fresh work shirt and tie if you missed your train home the previous night for example, but sadly not good coffee. Well, that’s not entirely true…there is a great option, albeit in the refrigerated section – Mount Rainier makes a non-sugar iced coffee which is a go-to of ours when we are looking for a jolt of caffeine to get the day started.

Hopefully this guide helps you kick-start your days in Japan!

We do have an extensive list of our favourite baristas all over Japan that we love to share with our clients so if you’ve booked a trip with us, we’ve got you covered.

If you are interested in hearing more about where to get the perfect coffee while in Japan - please get in touch.