Irasshaimase! (said by staff when you enter)
Kōhī o kudasai
KOH-hee oh koo-dah-SAI
Coffee, please
Hotto
HOT-toh
Hot (as in hot coffee)
Aisu
AH-ee-soo
Iced
Okaikei onegaishimasu
oh-KAI-keh oh-neh-gai-shee-MAHS
The bill, please
House blend drip coffee. The default order at kissaten (traditional coffee houses). Served black in a china cup.
Siphon/vacuum-brewed coffee. A kissaten specialty — theatrical, precise, and extraordinarily clean.
Hand-drip pour-over. Japan perfected this decades before Western 'third wave'. Often brewed with a nel (cloth) filter.
Café au lait — coffee with milk. Popular and widely available.
Japanese iced coffee — brewed hot directly over ice. Bright, clean, and incredibly refreshing.
Canned coffee from vending machines. Available hot or cold, 24/7, on virtually every street corner. An iconic part of Japanese coffee culture.
Kissaten (traditional coffee houses) have been serving meticulously prepared pour-over and siphon coffee since the 1950s — decades before 'third wave' existed.
At kissaten, you're paying for the experience and the seat as much as the coffee. Lingering is expected and encouraged.
Japanese iced coffee (brewed hot over ice) produces a uniquely bright, clean cup — this method has been adopted worldwide.
Vending machine canned coffee (kan kōhī) is everywhere. Boss, Georgia, and UCC are the major brands. It's perfectly acceptable to drink on the street.
Many specialty cafes have a no-laptop policy. The focus is on the coffee and the atmosphere.
Silence and quiet are valued in many kissaten. Keep conversations to a low volume.
Never tip in Japan. It can be considered rude.
¥400-700 (€2.50-4.50) at specialty cafes, ¥130-200 for canned coffee
Did you know? Japan's kissaten culture predates Western 'third wave' coffee by decades. The country has been obsessively perfecting hand-drip, siphon, and nel drip brewing since the 1950s.