# Tokyo



## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm in Tokyo at the moment and have had some stellar coffee, as well as some pretty sub-par coffee.

As well as that, gone over-board and bought a load of coffee stuff, including a double walled Hario FP, a Takahiro kettle and a metal kalita cone.

One thing I have noticed is that copper coffee goods are becoming popular here.

Hario even has a copper kettle, as well as a full pour over kit available from kalita, including cups.

I think they look kind of ugly and I'm not sure about what tastes they would impart; coppers awesome heat conductivity aside.

Currently my favourite place has been Maruyama coffee, but there are plenty of places which do some pretty interesting coffee.

I went to some place which served coffee which had been aged up to 50 years and despite being drip was served in a Turkish coffee cup.

The coffee was actually very well extracted though, despite the guy telling me it would be; sour I found everything in balance.

So I'm finding coffee in Tokyo, at least the independents, to be a unique experience.

Anyone else been and got any places they can recommend?


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Kyle are the Kalita wave drippers a lot cheaper over there than in the UK?


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm not sure. They are about 2,000 yen for the 2~4 Person model.

For some Hario wood neck cloth filters, the kalita cone and 50 filters, I spent about 5,000 yen.

I'm not sure what they cost in the UK though.

I know Hario products are about half the price though, same with the Takahiro, I got it for about £40, it's well over £80 if you import.

The exception seems to be syphons, they start at about 10,000 for a 1 person model which is about 60£


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Thats about £11-12 which version is that the metal or glass one?


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

The metal one, I don't really like the glass one.

How much are they in the UK?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

You gotta hit Bear Pond http://www.bear-pond.com/


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

I heard they were good for espresso.

I was just in shibuya today at omotesandou coffee, the espresso was not GREAT, but the place was really cool.

Some guy took an old Japanese store house and turned it into some kind of coffee bar.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

The stainless 185 size Wave is £25 from Hasbean.


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## radish (Nov 20, 2011)

I was in Tokyo back in 2006 - wasn't aware of many specialist places back then so it was Starbucks - great locations for people watching! Have you tried Fuglen in Shibuya (1-16-11 Tomigaya) - Oslo meets Tokyo?


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Never mind coffee, I'd be heading to Tsukiji for the freshest sushi in the world. Even 9 years later I still have cravings for it.


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

I was in Tokyo for a few weeks last year. Although I stayed in Shinjuku, I found the most amazing, tiny (really tiny) coffee shop in the business district.

Two group LM machine, SJ grinder and a Seattle trained owner. Best coffee I had in Japan. I've been racking my brains to try to remember its name!

I love Japan. Land of the best toilets!

DB


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Sounds great, Kyle.

What prompted the visit? I'm planning on going in a couple of years once I've graduated, again..!


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

It's kind of a personal visit - my girlfriend lives here so we alternate holidays between England and Japan.

So I've been here a few times but there's still plenty to do.

As expo barista said, never get tired of the food here.

And indeed the toilets too.


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Awesome. I've wanted to visit ever since I was a kid and in a couple of years time I hope to go. Probably one of the big cities, but have a Japanese friend who lives in Nagasaki too.

Enjoy the amenities! And coffee, obviously.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

You should definitely come here at least once.

Mostly the coffee culture is nthe same as here though.

The other day I went to a shop which seems to sell and roast greens.

I had heard good things about their beans, so I had an espresso.

Well,that's what they called it when I complained anyway; even 100ml of brown water is an espresso if you use an espresso machine apparently.

Another place had the most beautiful, shinny Elektra machine ever - but it had no group and they were pulling on some HX machine.

I find a lot of things similar actually.

It's not like there is one big difference between a big city in England and Tokyo for example,

More like there's lots of small differences.

That's as a tourist anyway.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

DavidBondy said:


> I was in Tokyo for a few weeks last year. Although I stayed in Shinjuku, I found the most amazing, tiny (really tiny) coffee shop in the business district.
> 
> Two group LM machine, SJ grinder and a Seattle trained owner. Best coffee I had in Japan. I've been racking my brains to try to remember its name!
> 
> ...


This place


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

No. It was literally the corner of a building. The counter filled the corner and you almost had to stand outside to order! They had narrow stairs up to two or three seats!

David


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

I am heading to Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto tomorrow. Wondering if anyone have specific suggestions besides the already mentioned?


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Brian Williams of Brian's Coffee Spot blog was there recently:

http://www.brian-coffee-spot.com/category/china-hong-kong/japan/tokyo/

Also, search on Sprudge - e.g.,

http://sprudge.com/10-incredible-cafes-in-tokyo-81262.html


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

the_partisan said:


> I am heading to Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto tomorrow. Wondering if anyone have specific suggestions besides the already mentioned?


Oh, and have a great time.


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## JKK (Feb 19, 2014)

the_partisan said:


> I am heading to Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto tomorrow. Wondering if anyone have specific suggestions besides the already mentioned?


Sorry a little late.

Tokyo:

Koffee Mameya in Ometesando is an absolute must !! [no milk, friendly helpful staff who speak English ]

http://www.koffee-mameya.com/

Nozy Coffee in cat street, not far from Ometesando [ quality has slipped recently, their 1st shop in Setagaya park is best]

4/4 Seasons in West Shinjuku - Very new nice young cafe, roast on site, cool graphics on bags.

http://allseasonscoffee.jp/#topContactAnchor

Saboru in Jimbocho [ 2nd book district ] - a proper taste of classic Japanese Kisaten [1950's style cafe] that actually tastes good, and fantastic dainty sandwitches.

http://en.goodcoffee.me/coffeeshop/saboru/

Glitch Coffee also in Jimbocho - very, very light roast new wave cafe with inhouse roast [ run by Japanese hipsters with real beards]

http://glitchcoffee.com/#_topAccess

Fuglen Tokyo is also worth mention, nice interior, beans often from Mr Wendleboe.

http://www.fuglen.com/japanese/

Maruyama is a famous roaster/importer with access to some of the best beans in the

world, but they are bit old school and over roast most of the products.

The cafe is not great unfortunately.

Bear Pond gets lots of press for it's famous ex-ad agency grumpy barista, it's kind of cool

but not really worth the trek that far unless you have time.

Bluebottle [ the US hip chain ] opened a couple of years ago in Tokyo, they have 2nd floor big cafe in Omotesando

which gets packed, usually with Asian tourists.

The coffee there is not made with much skill, and usually disappointing.

More to come . . .


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## JKK (Feb 19, 2014)

Kyoto

Arabica is a quite a popular trendy spot, in house on demand roasting, some posh Esmarelda type beans

not amazingly tasty but quite cool

http://arabica.coffee/en/?v=79cba1185463

Weekender's coffee is supposed to be really nice, more north side in the Suburbs

http://www.weekenderscoffee.com/

Osaka I am not a fan of so cant recomend any good coffee, plus you have to remember to stand on the other side

of the escalator . . .

-JKK


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## chrisje69 (May 14, 2017)

Spent quite a bit of time in Japan, really struggle to get a decent espresso there, and starbucks is really terrible IMHO. There was a lovely coffee shop in Fukuoka though, 'excellent coffee' it was called, very nice coffee there....but that is opposite side to Tokyo


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## JKK (Feb 19, 2014)

chrisje69 said:


> Spent quite a bit of time in Japan, really struggle to get a decent espresso there, and starbucks is really terrible IMHO. There was a lovely coffee shop in Fukuoka though, 'excellent coffee' it was called, very nice coffee there....but that is opposite side to Tokyo


Agree.

Traditionaly it's a very "filter coffee" country, and other such brewing methods such as

the famous siphon and the odd cloth-bag system seen in a few vintage places.

Espresso is relatively new in Japan, and also if you drink milk drinks the taste

of Japanese milk can be a bit challenging.

But times are changing, definitely recommend Koffee Memeya for Espresso

experience, they have a grid of about 15 beans you can try [ as espresso or kalita wave ]









-JKK


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