Specialty coffee in Japan

Specialty coffee in Japan grew from the kissaten, the traditional coffee house, where hand-drip brewing was refined long before the third wave borrowed it. Tokyo's first café opened in the late 1880s, and kissaten became places of simple black coffee and careful preparation. By the turn of the 21st century, hand-brewed pour-over was standard in many of them, and Japanese-style iced drip coffee, designed to emphasise acidity and brightness, became a signature style. Blue Bottle's founder visited kissaten in 2007 and brought their influence back to the US. Japan has produced world champions too, including Tetsu Kasuya, 2016 World Brewers Cup champion.

The cafés listed here are concentrated in central Tokyo, in Shibuya, Chuo City, Minato City and Taito City, with Osaka represented by a roaster.

Roasters include SOT COFFEE ROASTER in Osaka's Tenmabashi and Tasse Coffee Roastery. Expect pour-over as a natural order and a growing espresso culture, with younger customers favouring lattes while office workers stay with black coffee.