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Sarutahiko Coffee: 6 Unique Stores in Tokyo
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Sarutahiko Coffee is a specialty coffee shop originating in Tokyo's Ebisu area. Read on to learn about six Sarutahiko Coffee locations in Tokyo that have a unique charm; our list includes stores in Harajuku, Shimokitazawa, Ikebukuro, and other popular areas.
Written by
東京
Born in Taiwan. Currently living in Tokyo.
Currently editor in chief of MATCHA's Taiwanese website. In the past, I worked as an editor for a Japanese fashion magazine, as a Japanese language teacher at a private high school in Taipei, as an interpreter for Shiseido and other Japanese and Taiwanese companies. I've also had experience as an inbound tourism copywriter.
My Facebook page 'Tokyo beyond studying abroad' 東京、不只是留學（留学だけじゃなくて）boasts 120,000 followers.
Blogger with readers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan, of which 70% are female readers. I have covered over 300 locations and stores in my articles.
Writing about the latest trends, places off the beaten path, and traditional culture. Published six books on Japan in Taiwan and Asia.
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/filmmiho/
Instagram → @mihowang47
more
Sarutahiko Coffee is one of the brands that gained wide acclaim in the very competitive coffee industry during the so-called third coffee wave in Japan.
Starting from a small store in Ebisu, and expanding all the way to overseas stores, each Sarutahiko Coffee branch has its own different characteristics in addition to excellent coffee. Read on to learn the features of six unique Sarutahiko Coffee stores in Tokyo.
6 Sarutahiko Coffee Shops in Tokyo
1. Sarutahiko Coffee The Bridge in Harajuku
2. Sarutahiko Coffee Ebisu: The First-Ever Store!
3. Sarutahiko Coffee Ikebukuro: With Bakery
4. Sarutahiko Coffee Shinjuku: With TiKi TaKa ICE CREAM
5. Sarutahiko Coffee Chofu Roastery: The Largest Store!
6. Sarutahiko Cofee Shimokitazawa: A Wine and Cocktail Bar at Night
About Sarutahiko Coffee
About Sarutahiko Coffee
Picture courtesy of Fashion Press
How did Sarutahiko Coffee expand from a small shop of less than 10 square meters to become loved by coffee fans and even open stores overseas?
The founder, Mr. Otsuka Asayuki, used to work as an actor, but the instability of not knowing when the next performance opportunity would come made him feel exhausted. During those difficult times, the only moments when he felt at peace were when he was drinking his cup of coffee.
When he decided to leave the entertainment industry, he was introduced by a friend to work in a coffee shop. Through communicating with customers and focusing on making each cup of coffee by hand, he fully realized that a cup of coffee is enough to make people feel happy.
Picture courtesy of Fashion Press
"After accumulating several years of experience as a barista, I started preparing to open my first store. I decorated it myself together with my friends to save on expenses. At the suggestion of a designer friend, I named the store "Sarutahiko Coffee".
Sarutahiko is a god from Japanese mythology. Legend has it that he is also the ancestor of the tengu (long-nosed supernatural creatures). He is believed to have the power to achieve goals and do ground-breaking work. He is the deity that people pray to when building a new home, traveling, taking a job, or getting married," explained Mr. Otsuka.
Sarutahiko Coffee has been recognized as a representative brand in the Japanese coffee industry by protecting high-quality and trustworthy producers and continuing to provide high-quality coffee beans at all costs.
Useful Tip: The Sarutahiko Coffee Point Collection Card - Usable Worldwide!
The point collection card offered by Sarutahiko Coffee is universally accepted! Not only can you gather points at any store in Japan, but also at Sarutahiko Coffee's overseas locations such as their store in Taipei.
Moreover, the number of points doubles on rainy days!
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1. Sarutahiko Coffee The Bridge at Harajuku Station
Picture courtesy of Fashion Press
Sarutahiko Coffee The Bridge is a large-scale store located on the second floor of Harajuku Station.
This location has good lighting and a spacious interior. Moreover, Meiji Shrine is right in front of you! The concept of the store is "bridging the daily and the extraordinary, the past and the future."
Among the beverages on offer is one made with a coffee bean type called THE RISE OF SARUTAHIKO, which has been shortlisted for a prize known as the "Cup of Excellence," equal to the Oscars of the coffee industry. In addition to this type of coffee, there are of course many other other carefully selected blends that will make people want to enjoy their coffee at leisure.
Picture courtesy of fashion press
They also sell the Harajuku Blend, which has been jointly developed in collaboration with JR Harajuku Station, as well as commemorative cups co-branded with a well-known American glassware brand. These are definitely must-collect items for the fans of Sarutahiko Coffee.
2. Sarutahiko Coffee Ebisu Main Store: The First-Ever Sarutahiko Coffee Shop!
In spite of a lack of funds and a lot of rushed work, as Mr. Otsuka recalls, the first store of Sarutahiko Coffee was finally opened.
Sarutahiko Coffee Ebisu Main Store continues to serve everyone at its original address to this day.
No matter how big or small the store is, the most important thing is communicating with the customers; this is the motto of Sarutahiko Coffee's founder, Mr. Otsuka Asayuki.
At the Ebisu store, you can often see the staff chatting with regular customers in the store with smiles on their faces.
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3. The Best Bread to Enjoy with Coffee! Sarutahiko Coffee Ikebukuro Store
Sarutahiko Coffee Ikebukuro Store is Japan's first bread-baking workshop supervised by Sarutahiko Coffee and is located just 10 minutes away on foot from Ikebukuro Station.
Here you can taste the heavenly combination of Oquinho's delicious bread and Sarutahiko's coffee.
Oquinho aims to make the kind of bread and pastry that everyone can eat every day without getting tired of it. Focusing on croissants, Oquinho has launched more than 20 popular breads and seasonal pastries.
We especially recommend their excellent morning set. The Calpis butter thick sliced toast with a cup of black coffee only costs 520 yen.
The toast has a crispy texture but when you take a bite you can feel the spongy and dense filling. The rich cream inside comes with a surprisingly refreshing aftertaste.
4. Ice Cream Is King Here! Sarutahiko Coffee and TiKi TaKa ICE CREAM Shinjuku Store
Opened on the first floor of LUMINE 1 near Shinjuku Station, the Sarutahiko Coffee Shinjuku Store is based on the concept of "an ice cream shop where even adults can walk into in the light of day".
New and limited-edition ice cream flavors are added to the menu from time to time so that the "adults" who pass by here can always try something new. This is the first Sarutahiko Coffee shop where you can enjoy ice cream with your coffee.
Picture courtesy of Fashion Press
We especially recommend the Dassai Sake and Japanese Caramel flavors.
Dassai is a Junmai Daiginjo type of Japanese sake that has been fermented to extract various flavors. The ice cream tastes just as sweet as amazake. If you are not careful, you will forget that the alcohol concentration is actually quite high!
On the other hand, the mellow and slightly sweet flavor of Japanese caramel is addictive, just like milk candy gradually melting in your mouth.
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5. Ecological Display: Sarutahiko Coffee Chofu Roastery Flagship Store
Among the Sarutahiko Coffee shops, the one with the largest total store area (150 square meters) is the bakery flagship store located in the shopping mall near Chofu Station.
Through the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see the craftsmen roasting beans using four large roasting machines at any time just as if you were walking into a coffee museum.
The Chofu flagship store of Sarutahiko Coffee offers Jutaro waffles, which have a solid texture and a milky aroma that spreads in your mouth. A little honey can add to the flavor.
When the weather is fine, sit outside and enjoy your coffee leisurely under the warm sunshine.
6. Coffee and Fine wine! Sarutahiko Cofee Shimokitazawa Bar
The SARUTAHIKO COFFEE Bar opens after 19:00 at the Sarutahiko Coffee Shimokitazawa Store!
The cafe has been transformed into a bar called SARUTAHIKO COFFEE Bar that offers original cocktails made with special coffee, such as Coffee Margarita, a Margarita cocktail mixed with light roasted espresso--a truly unique flavor!
Among the menu highlights are other delicious dishes such as the truffle-flavored cream potato, the smoked meat and mozzarella cheese platter served cold, the lava chocolate ice cream, and other delights that can all be paired with drinks.
Sarutahiko Coffee Bar
Location: Sarutahiko Coffee Shimokitazawa Map
Business hours: 19:00 - 23:00 (last order 22:30) *10:00-19:00 are the regular business hours of the coffee shop (*bar menu and drinks can also be enjoyed during daytime)
Enjoy Your Time at the Excellent Sarutahiko Coffee Shops
Sarutahiko Coffee has always been committed to being a Japanese coffee brand that is not inferior to foreign countries. It pays more careful attention to the needs of customers in terms of hospitality and strives to provide the best quality in terms of coffee types.
There is no doubt that if you visit a Sarutahiko Coffee shop once, you will want to go to other branches to experience it again!
Read also
Main image courtesy of Fashion Press
Born in Taiwan. Currently living in Tokyo.
Currently editor in chief of MATCHA's Taiwanese website. In the past, I worked as an editor for a Japanese fashion magazine, as a Japanese language teacher at a private high school in Taipei, as an interpreter for Shiseido and other Japanese and Taiwanese companies. I've also had experience as an inbound tourism copywriter.
My Facebook page 'Tokyo beyond studying abroad' 東京、不只是留學（留学だけじゃなくて）boasts 120,000 followers.
Blogger with readers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan, of which 70% are female readers. I have covered over 300 locations and stores in my articles.
Writing about the latest trends, places off the beaten path, and traditional culture. Published six books on Japan in Taiwan and Asia.
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/filmmiho/
Instagram → @mihowang47
more
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