Last updated: 9/6/2025

• This guide is only useful for light roast coffee enthusiasts, primarily in filter/pourover brews.
• I index low on cafe vibes/mood, and don't care for milk/mixed drinks or snacks, interpret opinions accordingly.
• Pay close attention to what days of the week a shop is open. For example, a shop with small staff may take its days off on Mon/Tues.
  • The best way to check for ad-hoc scheduling is via Instagram stories.
  • They tend to open later than westerners expect.
• Compared to the U.S., cafes tend to open and close later.
• The general style is roasting and brewing for sweetness. You'll find few shops brewing for acidity. You may notice lower temps being used on light roasts as well.
• If you want a reason to chat with a someone at a shop, consider bringing beans to share from your country.
• This is a rolling document, it will update periodically.

Tokyo

Mameya Kakeru

Kinda in the middle of nowhere, closest major attraction is Tokyo Skytree

• Peak coffee experience
• Rotating menu of worldwide roasters
  • E.g. Leaves, Rose, Coffee Collective, Homeground, Code Black, Common Grounds, La Cabra, Momos
• The Kakeru location is an omakase system by reservation. Max 4 per party
  • The menu rotates frequently with several tiers of course selection available. Some involve creative, single-bite dishes, some are coffee cocktails
• The Omotesando location is walk-in only
  • This location fits 4ppl… maximum. The service is hands-on, thorough, and unrushed. Each pair served easily takes 10-15min. Estimate that a 10person line can mean an hour wait

Leaves

Near Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa - Sensoji

Open Fri-Mon. A bus drops you right in the neighborhood, the closest train is a 15+min walk

• Highly experimental with gear
  • As of 9/2025: FM Grinder 98
  • Past: Option-O P100, Weber Workshops EG-1Ultra, Double Titus Nautilus, Kafatek Flat Max, Ditting 807, FM 98
  • Stronghold S7X, Probat UG-15, Giesen W6A
• Personally, I'd go for their higher end lots that they have the sourcing power to obtain
• Ships to USA, but pricey. Available in California at Kumquat and Rikka Fika
• Seats around 8 total, lines can get long

Another location in Taito, open all days except Monday. Closed as of 4/2024. Don't go to Leaves Apartment.

Glitch

Jimbocho, next to Akihabara. Ginza location

9/2025: New Nihonbashi location

• Crazily processed beans, a top 3 roaster to visit for interesting beans
• Moody, edgy vibe
• Long waits, especially Ginza location, budget an hour
• You can ask to have your bean purchases transferred from glass jar to plastic bag to minimize luggage
• Does not ship international
• Roasted on a Probat
• Seats around 10-12 total
• For just the Glitch beans/brews, also consider Nadoya no Katte with a different vibe

Acid

2024: New location in Yoyogi-Uehara

This location is closed. Don't go here.

• A ridiculous selection of fun, high end lots
• Ken (the owner, pictured above) is a character and enjoys chatting in English. Tell him I sent you!
• Seats about 8 total
• Roasted on an Aillio Bullet

Definitive Panama Coffee Studio

New location in Kichijoji. This is now their primary location. Track their open days via Instagram stories.

Original location is in a back alley next to Koenji station. This original location seems to be rarely open now.

• Only top-end, crazy premium Panama beans, e.g. 2700JPY+ cups
• Fits up to 6 people in the whole place
• Open until 10pm
• Roasted 100g at a time on a Roest
• Aki (pictured above) responds well in English
• Tell them I sent you!

Ignis

A bit out of the way, closest to Ueno Zoo and Tokyo University

• Wild processed beans, similar to Glitch and Acid
• Espresso shots pulled on a Nomad (!!!)
  • 9/2025: They have switched over to a Wendougee machine
• Coffee jelly is fun (but might run out)
• Roasted on an Aillio Bullet
• Primarily expensive, premium lots
• Fits about 5 people total in their main location
• A bit distant from train stations in a cozy neighborhood shopping plaza
• If going to Kamakura, they have a stand near the station as well.

Covert

Shinjuku station underground

Roastery location, a mere 100m away from the original

• Roasts are fulfilled by Glitch.
• They now roast themselves on an electric Probat
• 9/2025: There is a roastery location 100m from the original, effectively doubling their seating capacity
• Slightly hidden hole in the wall in a random corner of the station underground
• If you meet Kyosuke (pictured above in 1st pic), say hi from me!
• Relatively high seating (~20)

Apollon's Gold

Kitanomaru, a little distant from usual tourist destinatinos

• 4/2025: New location in Akasaka
• "Sey of Japan", perhaps the lightest roast in the country
• Leans towards clean, washed offerings
• Wide range of price points. Quite affordable on the low end
• Ships 1kg+ free worldwide
• Subscription ships free worldwide, can message to add on extra
• Seats about 6

Founder and owner, Ono Hikaru

Brewman

Shinjuku Yoyogi area

• Roasted on-site with a Giesen
• Similar to Hydrangea offerings
• Lots of toys and gear floating around
• One man shop, pay attention to open days/hours
• Most seating is outdoors, around 8

Berth

Minato-ku, somewhat close to Tokyo Tower

• Ok offerings
• Second location near Tokyo Sky Tree, consider it on a coffee crawl in that area
• Seats around 5

Coffee Swamp

In a neighborhood in Shijuku away from the busy streets, easy to miss

• Stereotypical 1-man shop, service is slow, relaxed, and high on vibes
• Convenient to the Shinjuku area
• Check Instagram frequently due to sporadic scheduling. They close for an hour midday
• Busy, entire place seats about 6 total

Cokuun

Location in Omotesando is secret, given to you after signup

• High end drinks, high end experience
• Frequently rotating menu
• Omakase menu only, by reservation, seating 4 in a session for the entire space

Lonich,

Taito, Kuramae area

• Coffee omakase, by reservation
• Spoiler: the , in "Lonich," stands for "Leave Our Name In Coffee History" and the "," means the journey is not over
• Might as well make a coffee crawl by Leaves, Berth, and Coffee Wrights Kuramae while you're in the area
• Seats 2 per reservation, total of 4 in the place
• Roasted on a Loring S7 or Bullet

Coffee County

Kitazawa area, consider bundling with a trip to Acid Coffee and Meiji Jingu shrine

• Only clean washed offerings
  • Emphasis on Honduras and Peru due to the owner's history in that region. Roasts lean towards sweetness on a Probat, recently adding a Stronghold
• I preferred the brews at the Kyushu locations (Fukuoka, Kurume)
• Seats around 12 total

Verve

Shinjuku station ground level

• I don't drink Verve in America, but I was caught off-guard at how different the roasts and brews are in Japan
• Bewilderingly, they have access to higher end lots than back at home, e.g. Elida Estate
• Roasted domestically in Japan, supposedly on a Probat
• Convenient location, hop by Covert too while you're in the area

Other Tokyo locations, not visited/vetted

• Onibus
• Sniite
• Raw Sugar Roast
• Nadoya no Katte (Glitch spinoff)
• Woodberry - multiple locations
• Weekenders
• Fossa
• Coffee Wrights
• Fuglen
• POCS (Pour Over Coffee Stand)
• Nem
• Philocoffea
• Kuromame
• Walnuts (Koenji)

Not my cup of tea:

Ogawa, Bongen, All Seasons, Lucent, Mowe, Geshary, Little Darling, Finetime

Osaka

LiLo

In a fairly central part of Osaka

Another, tinier location down the street

• Fun selection offerings, both light and dark roast
• Cute packaging design
• Roasts on a Loring
• Ships worldwide, though shipping can get pricey

Glitch

At the edge of downtown Osaka

• Much less busy than Tokyo locations
• You can ask to have your bean purchases transferred from glass jar to plastic bag to minimize luggage

Other Osaka locations, not visited/vetted

• Barista Map

Kyoto

List of prospective shops to visit, not vetted:

• Solkatt
• Kurasu

Fukuoka/Kyushu region

Coffee County (Takasago location)

Takasago neighborhood of Fukuoka city

HQ/roastery is about an hour's drive south in Kurume

• Only clean washed offerings
  • Emphasis on Honduras and Peru due to the owner's history in that region
• Roasts lean towards sweetness on a Probat, recently adding a Stronghold
• Tell Taishi or Wataru I said hi!

Filter Supply

3min walk down the street from Coffee County

• Fits 4-5ppl tops
• Pay attention to the open days/hours
• Tell them I said hi!
• Rotation of 2 value options, 2 higher end options
• Roasts on-site with a Fuji Royal 2kg

Manly

One train station or 15min walk away from Coffee County

• Hole in the wall, a hidden inner garden in a building complex
• Seating is scarce, overflow seating in an empty building next door
• Solid range of light roast offerings, clean and funky
• Brews with Aeropress, roasts with Loring

Other

Takamura (Awajishima)

Out on Awajishima, a connecting island

I suggest getting a meal at Pasta Fresca Dan-men down the street

• Pretty out of the way, you wouldn't be here by accident
• Startlingly high selection of CoE lots
• They have funky offerings on rotation
• The facility is also a winery
• Roasted on a big Loring

Node (by Brewit) (Sapporo)

In the middle of downtown Sapporo

• Highly convenient location if staying in Sapporo
• Modern selection of greens
• Seating for approx. 15
• Roasts on a Kaleido M10

Ignis (Kamakura)

Near Kamakura Station

• Conveniently on the way to your major Kamakura destinations
• Note - opens at 11am
• Seating is outdoors