Japan Nuggets

Do you prefer tea or coffee?

When I moved to Japan, I expected most people to answer tea. It fit my image of Japan as an incredible tea country: green tea, matcha tea, barley tea, oolong tea – you name it.

But cliches rarely stick. Coffee is also hugely popular. I was surprised to discover just how much.

My first visit to a kissaten, a traditional Japanese coffee house was a real experience.

These places emerged around the turn of the 20th century. After World War II, kissaten became more than just coffee shops. Places for reading, conversation, or simply taking a break from the outside world.

When I entered, the tiny, dimly lit space was quiet. Few people, low voices. I sat down at the counter.

I chose my beans from a remarkable variety.

Then my coffee was brewed just for me.

Careful preparation. Incredible attention to detail. Imagine hot water trickling over the grounds. A wonderful aroma emerging.

The result? Delicate taste, simply delicious.

In Tokyo, it’s fascinating to see how old and new coexist: you can have a meticulously brewed coffee in a kissaten that looks almost unchanged since the 1960s.

Then walk a few blocks and find a modern café doing light-roasted single-origin beans with precision espresso equipment.

There are specialty cafés, international and Japanese coffee chains. And everything in-between.

In many places hand-brewed filter coffee is still an art in itself. Water temperature, pouring speed, grind size, age and roast of beans, even the shape and material of the filter. All of it matters.

It’s all deliberate.

It fits the Japanese idea of shokunin: the dedication of a craftsperson to mastering a skill.

Making something simple extremely well.

Not unlike the Japanese way of preparing tea.

And don’t dismiss convenience store coffee – unless you are an absolute coffee snob. It’s inexpensive, freshly brewed from automated machines, and surprisingly good.

Enjoying coffee in Japan combines Western coffee traditions with distinctly Japanese ideas about craftsmanship, hospitality, and ritual.

So, while Japan may be famous for its tea, don’t overlook the coffee.

It’s another very Japanese treat.

Did you know:

• Japan also has a strong tradition of iced coffee. One classic preparation is to pour hot-brewed coffee directly over ice. Or cold-brewed coffee, made by keeping coffee grounds in cold water for many hours. The result is a smoother, less acidic drink.
• Japan also has an enormous vending-machine culture. Canned coffee is probably the more iconic example. It was introduced in the 1960s, and today you can find it almost everywhere.
• Coffee jelly is a Japanese invention. It’s a wobbly dessert made from sweetened coffee jelly. You’ll find it in cafés and kissaten, often served with cream or ice cream. Yummy!

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