From light, medium, to dark coffee, different coffee brands in Japan make great coffee blends that Japanese locals can’t seem to get enough of.
Coffee is one of the favorite drinks of the Japanese. Be it canned coffee or iced coffee, the coffee fresh & Gomme syrup, or morning service; that combo of coffee with free bread or toast with eggs, Japanese locals love their coffee.
The coffee culture in Japan is so unique that you can find a coffee shop in almost every corner of the country. Japan has even ranked 4th in the world for coffee consumption. There are many amazing coffee brands in Japan but we have selected a few who make the best coffees.
Here are the top 10 coffee brands in Japan that we pulled up for you. If you are a coffee lover, you most definitely need to try out some of these brands when you visit Japan.
1. Kurasu Kyoto
When it comes to popular Japanese coffee brands, Kurasu Kyoto is a familiar name. When this brand started, they sold only coffee wares. However, in 2016, they opened their first physical store in Kyoto.
Their coffee beans are one of a kind. They are roasted weekly at their roaster café. What’s more, they have a house blend coffee in different sizes. Their house blends are in the form of coffee beans, ground coffee, and drip coffee bags.
When trying Kurasu for the first time, you should check out their taster sets which are about 3100 gram bags of coffee grounds. You can also try their drip coffee bags, they are really good if you want some quality instant coffee.
Drip bags are easy to carry on the go and quite easy to use. They cost between 200 to 250 yen per bag. This brand ships internationally so you can check out their website.
2. Onibus Coffee
Onibus Coffee is another popular coffee brand in Japan. Because of how popular this brand is, they opened another center in Nakameguro and a roastery in Okusawa. The Onibus coffee stores are small and cozy so you would hardly get a sit-in.
It is like a functional coffee bar where you just place your order, get your coffee and go. They are known for their various coffee blends. Their menu also consists of coffee beans from other countries like Ethiopia, Colombia, and Rwanda.
What makes this brand stand out is the treatment they give coffee beginners. So if you just found a new craving for coffee you could visit the Onibus coffee shop. The set of coffee tasting which they would offer you consists of 350g packets of beans specially made by the owner.
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3. Wife & Husband
Wife & Husband is another popular Japanese coffee brand that is known for its distinct features. They are known for their husband and wife antiques, their coffee blend specialty named son and daughter, and other amazing offers like the coffee picnic basket service.
Things you can find in your picnic basket include a liberal serving of fresh coffee in a thermos, ceramic cups, and a table cloth and rusk biscuits. But that’s not all. They also offer rented wooden stools, folding tables, straw mats, and even lap blankets to customers.
If you require a summer picnic offer when you visit Japan, then Wife & Husband coffee brand is the best fit for you. Their gift boxes come in sets of twos and threes for coffee lovers. Wife & Husband café is located in Kyoto, 100 yards from the Kamo River.
4. Iron coffee
If you are looking for a comfy store to get your morning coffee or an easy-to-make home coffee, then you may as well try Iron coffee cafe. This coffee brand has been in Japan only quite recently, as I was told, 2016. But has gained prominence, drawing in coffee lovers in Japan.
It is located near the Gotokuji Temple. Iron coffee is a shoebox store popular for its many “Maneki Neko“. And trust me when I say it is a hard one to miss. The cafe is decorated with oxidized metal plates and chipped paints.
You would be charmed by this pocket-sized café once you get a glimpse of it. The decorated grim lights too make it unique.
What the iron coffee brand offers is a selection of top-notch coffee beans, a cold brew pack that has 6 bags of cold brew coffee. You can enjoy your roasted iron coffee comfortably at home by just adding water to the coffee bag and letting it steep overnight.
5. Maruyama coffee
If you are looking for some long stayed Japanese coffee brand, then this should be your go-to option. Maruyama coffee brand has been in the Japanese coffee market for quite a while. Beginning a business in 1991, they have built a strong base of local customers across Japan.
What makes the brand stand out is its coffee beans which are most often hand-selected by the owner of the brand. He visits several coffee farms across the world to purchase beans for you as a customer to consume.
Their products are distinctive and of high quality. Their coffee blends retain their rich charm and flavor. Their coffees are extraordinary. They have several coffee stores across Japan.
6. Passage coffee
Passage coffee brand is a little underrated, their coffee tastes delicious. It is located in several outlets around Tokyo. This brand is known for its passage blend made up of coffee beans, and a cold brew pack.
The brand also offers coffee accessories like passage coffee mugs and filters. Their store is known as the passage coffee roastery. When you walk into one, you would notice how beautifully decorated their interior is.
What’s more, the staff are quite friendly and coffee is roasted on-site. Some people say it is a great place to take a break and have some great coffee in silence. This brand has other stores and roasters located across Japan.
Their online store is active and shipping is available on their website. You should check out this brand, you will love it here.
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7. Leaves coffee roasters
Looking for a brand that serves you a warm coffee order? Then this coffee brand is the right choice. Leaves coffee roasters are one of the best brands in Japan. They have a very open concept with top-notch hospitality to their customers.
Their brewing is also great. So you can either try out their iced coffee or black coffee or milk coffee.
This brand began in 2018 and since then, it has gained ground. It has both café and roastery services. While their café services are available three times a week, the roastery runs from Tuesday to Friday.
If you wish to try out this brand, I would recommend the 5 sample bags of coffee beans made specially by the roaster. Their roasting techniques are quite unique and rare.
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8. Suntory Boss
Among the other brands, Suntory Boss is a well-known canned coffee brand. It uses extra coffee beans for brewing and gives this coffee drink a rich nice flavor. It also has in it, a small amount of milk and a sweetened taste.
There are several canned coffee brands to pick from but if you are looking for something with a moderate sweetened taste, then this product is for you. This brand is quite popular in Japan.
If you ask for a canned coffee recommendation from one of your Japanese friends, they would most definitely recommend Suntry Boss.
9. Takamura coffee roasters
Takamura coffee roasters brand is known for its great coffee and wine service. It began as a liquor store in 1992 before focusing on wine and coffee in 2013. They produce a variety of coffee beans you can pick from. Their beans are of high quality, it’s hard not to love them.
When you visit a Takamura store, you can either get coffee beans or drip bags as they offer both. Takamura beans have been awarded a Cup of Excellence in the country. Their café is large, nice, and comfortable.
10. Philocoffea Roastery and Laboratory
This is another amazing coffee brand in Japan. They are known for their brewing prowess. In fact, they are famous for being owned by the world champion of the 1st Brewers Cup in Asia, Tetsu Kasuya.
This coffee brand not only has a roastery and café, but they also have a coffee stand called Rubber Coffee. They are known for their different coffee specialties like drip coffee bags and a variety of light to dark roasts.
Conclusion
Japanese coffee culture has even led to the third wave of coffee bringing international coffee brands to Japan. Like the blue bottle coffee, Starbucks coffee, and a host of others. That notwithstanding, Japanese coffees are simply amazing.
If you’re not in Japan currently, you can place orders to get some for temporary usage until you can experience firsthand the Japanese coffee culture. The above-listed brands also ship internationally. Try coffee from any of them and you won’t regret it.