The small walk up window of About Life Coffee Brewers on a Dogenzaka street corner in Shibuya

Tokyo

35.6762,139.6503

From aged beans poured into champagne glasses in Ginza to single origin drips in Jimbocho, Tokyo runs on two coffee cultures at once.

The small walk up window of About Life Coffee Brewers on a Dogenzaka street corner in Shibuya

About Life Coffee Brewers

Shibuya · Tokyo

coffee windowBeans to go

Baristas behind the counter at All Seasons Coffee in Shinjuku with a pastry case in the foreground and a Take Out OK sign painted on the front window

All Seasons Coffee

Shinjuku · Tokyo

house roasteryBeans to go

Red brick storefront of Alpha Beta Coffee Club in Jiyugaoka with illuminated COFFEE signage and glass fronted seating area

Alpha Beta Coffee Club

Jiyugaoka · Tokyo

rotating roastersBeans to go

The dark panelled front of Amameria Espresso in Musashi Koyama, with a glass door and window under the shop name, a coffee sack barrel by the entrance and a wooden bench outside

Amameria Espresso

Musashi Koyama · Tokyo

brick and piano roomBeans to go

The green tiled corner storefront of Arise Coffee Roasters with colorful chairs out front and the Tokyo Skytree in the distance

Arise Coffee Roasters

Kiyosumi Shirakawa · Tokyo

hidden gemBeans to go

The weathered white facade of Bear Pond Espresso with a glowing neon bear sign above the open window counter

Bear Pond Espresso

Shimokitazawa · Tokyo

hidden gemBeans to go

The illuminated Cafe de l'Ambre entrance at night, reading Coffee Only and The Original 1948, Own Roast Hand Drip

Cafe de l'Ambre

Ginza · Tokyo

classicBeans to go

Calm Coffee Roasters

Yanaka · Tokyo

coffee standBeans to go

The white framed windows of CHOP COFFEE in Omotesando swung open under a hanging neon sign, with a red and blue striped transom and the timber bar visible inside

CHOP COFFEE Omotesando

Jingumae · Tokyo

quiet roastery cafebasement gallery below

The black brick storefront of COFFEA EXLIBRIS in Shimokitazawa, with a black awning lettered with the shop name, a black door with a leaded glass panel, a picture window and a bench out front

COFFEA EXLIBRIS

Shimokitazawa · Tokyo

takeaway specialty counterBeans to go

The Coffee Amp The Roaster lettering on the shop window, with shelves of brewing gear and bagged beans visible inside

Coffee Amp The Roaster

Koenji · Tokyo

micro roasteryBeans to go

The open garage style entrance of Coffee Wrights Kuramae with a wooden retail cart of coffee bags and green coffee sacks stacked beside the roasting counter

Coffee Wrights Kuramae

Kuramae · Tokyo

roastery cafeBeans to go

A corner of Counterpart Coffee Gallery in Tokyo, with a leafy rubber plant beside wooden topped stools at a window counter, a burlap covered table and a cup of coffee on a ledge

Counterpart Coffee Gallery

Honmachi · Tokyo

Glitch founder's second shopresidential side street

The slate blue shopfront of February Coffee Roastery in Asakusa, with a black awning lettered February Coffee Roastery and Sweets Factory, a gridded window, an open door, a wooden bench and a potted tree

February Coffee Roastery

Asakusa · Tokyo

pink roasting machineBeans to go

Fuglen Tokyo

Tomigaya · Tokyo

vintage designBeans to go

A row of black Glitch branded cupping glasses lit dramatically on the wooden counter, an espresso machine in shadow behind

Glitch Coffee & Roasters

Jimbocho · Tokyo

third wave labBeans to go

The glowing wooden bar at Heart's Light Coffee in Shinsen at night, with a copper drum roaster, two grinders, an espresso machine, dripper stations and shelves of vinyl records

Heart's Light Coffee

Shinsen · Tokyo

Turkish copper roasterBeans to go

The grey tiled storefront of KIELO COFFEE in Akihabara, with the name in slim lettering above a pale wooden door, a small serving window, a leafy plant and a menu board out front

KIELO COFFEE Akihabara

Akihabara · Tokyo

Finnish coffee breakBeans to go

Inside Koffee Mameya, a staff member stands below the wall of labeled bean canisters beneath a warm wood ceiling

Koffee Mameya

Omotesando · Tokyo

standing barBeans to go

The glass fronted Koffee Mameya Kakeru at dusk, with a timber lined entrance tunnel, a pale counter lit from below and a wall of coffee jars behind it

Koffee Mameya Kakeru

Kiyosumi Shirakawa · Tokyo

coffee tasting coursesBeans to go

The warmly lit counter at KURO MAME Tokyo, with two black gooseneck kettles and brewers on a pale counter, glowing wall niches of jars and glasses, and pale wooden stools

KURO MAME Tokyo

Kamiyacho · Tokyo

coffee omakase counterBeans to go

The weathered metal Leaves Coffee Roasters sign on a pillar of green glazed tiles in Ryogoku, beside a steel framed window with blurred figures inside

Leaves Coffee Roasters

Ryogoku · Tokyo

town roasteryBeans to go

The wooden step entrance of Light Up Coffee in Kichijoji with a blue LIGHT UP COFFEE sign and open door leading into the shop

Light Up Coffee

Kichijoji · Tokyo

light roast pioneerBeans to go

The interior of Little Darling Coffee Roasters, with a glass fronted roaster behind a wooden railing, a timber counter with menu boards and a parrot mural, and a long communal table with stools under a green ceiling

Little Darling Coffee Roasters

Minami Aoyama · Tokyo

urban park roasteryBeans to go

The navy Little Nap Coffee Stand sign in white script and capitals, with the warm lit window of the stand blurred beside it

Little Nap Coffee Stand

Yoyogi · Tokyo

tiny railside standBeans to go

Black armchairs lined up at the deep red counter of Lonich in Kuramae, with a barista in a dark jacket working behind it and bottles on shelves at the back

Lonich

Kuramae · Tokyo

tasting course counterBeans to go

The concrete and brick bar at Mountain Mover Cafe, with an espresso machine and grinders behind a raised counter and cacti and palms in a bed of white stones in front

Mountain Mover Cafe

Ryogoku · Tokyo

Yunnan coffee specialistDogs on the terrace

MÖWE Coffee Roasters

Koenji · Tokyo

roaster in the roomBeans to go

The timber framed bar at Nem Coffee and Espresso, with an espresso machine under a sunburst mirror, a leafy plant and bagged beans on the counter, and a chalkboard front

Nem Coffee and Espresso

Minami Azabu · Tokyo

old house cafeBeans to go

Obscura Coffee Roasters

Sangenjaya · Tokyo

neighborhood pioneerBeans to go

The wooden storefront of Onibus Coffee with retail cups and pour over gear displayed in a window case beside the entrance

Onibus Coffee

Nakameguro · Tokyo

roasteryBeans to go

The hanging PADDLERS COFFEE SHOP sign mounted on the building's corner, with bicycles parked beneath and trees overhead

Paddlers Coffee

Nishihara · Tokyo

neighborhood cornerBeans to go

A white storefront sign reading COFFEE, Perch by Woodberry Coffee Roasters, above the glass doors of the Daikanyama shop

Perch by Woodberry Coffee Roasters

Daikanyama · Tokyo

direct trade roasterBeans to go

The glass fronted Pharos Coffee in Jimbocho, with a sliding glass door onto a warm room of black chairs, a gallery shelf of framed prints and a grinder on the counter, and pale stools and plants outside

Pharos Coffee

Jimbocho · Tokyo

Taipei roaster in JimbochoBeans to go

Warm wooden seating at PHILOCOFFEA Omotesando, with live edge counter tops on dark steel bases, pale wooden stools and a grey tiled wall

PHILOCOFFEA Omotesando

Omotesando · Tokyo

World Brewers Cup champion's shopBeans to go

A cream coloured La Marzocco espresso machine with cups stacked on top, standing in a dim room at Raw Sugar Roast

Raw Sugar Roast

Miyasaka · Tokyo

seed to cup roasteryBeans to go

A white corner table at Ryumon Coffee Stand with a framed pressed flower portrait and a small clipboard menu resting against the wall

Ryumon Coffee Stand

Kichijoji · Tokyo

quiet house cafeBeans to go

A barista working the counter at Sarutahiko Coffee's Ebisu flagship, shelves of branded retail bean bags lining the wall beside the register

Sarutahiko Coffee

Ebisu · Tokyo

neighborhood flagshipBeans to go

The open fronted Single O roastworks in Ryogoku, with a copper bar of bagged beans and tap stations, a black and white hand mural, crumpled paper art overhead and terrazzo tables and timber stools

Single O Ryogoku Roastworks

Ryogoku · Tokyo

Sydney roaster in TokyoBeans to go

The peach and brick coloured front of Sniite in Shimouma, with a glass door, a small bike and a hedge of blue flowers by the pavement

Sniite

Shimouma · Tokyo

roaster and brewerquiet Shimouma corner

The white framed glass front of Streamer Coffee Company in Shibuya, open onto a dark timber bar, with bistro tables on the pavement and a coffee sack by the door

Streamer Coffee Company Shibuya

Shibuya · Tokyo

latte art flagshipShibuya station side

Switch Coffee Tokyo's retail shelf of branded mugs, caps and bagged beans beside a letterboard menu listing coffee, latte and filter prices

Switch Coffee Tokyo

Meguro · Tokyo

roasteryBeans to go

Rows of black industrial pendant lamps hanging over the counter at The Roastery by Nozy Coffee, with pastries on display and the roasting area and staff at the back

The Roastery by Nozy Coffee

Jingumae · Tokyo

single origin onlyBeans to go

The red painted bench outside Turret Coffee in Tsukiji, with the shop name lettered in white across the slats and a white Turret Coffee Tokyo mug sitting on the seat

Turret Coffee

Tsukiji · Tokyo

fish market turret truckespresso and latte art

The espresso bar at Unlimited Coffee Bar, with a white La Marzocco machine, two white grinders, a black menu board on a pegboard wall and a wooden counter lettered Espresso Bar

Unlimited Coffee Bar

Narihira · Tokyo

Skytree side cornerBeans to go