Yokohama Coffee Festival is coming back for the first time in three years! The event will bring together the best coffee from around Japan, showing off the personality and individuality of each shop. The festival was created to build bridges between shops and customers and to spread coffee culture in Yokohama. Coffee fans should head to Yokohama Park on October 23, 2022.    Coffee tickets–four cups for ¥1,000–will be available to purchase on the day of the event, allowing visitors to compare different shops. From those who are just starting to enjoy coffee to those who are coffee fanatics, this event will allow everyone to enjoy coffee to the max! Be sure to chat with the charming baristas as you explore the festival!

McDonald’s Japan locations with ‘McCafe by Barista’ areas will begin selling special spring treats for a limited time starting April 6, 2022. Customers will be able to grab the ‘Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe’ and the ‘Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart.’   McCafe by Barista invites guests to enjoy high-quality frappes and smoothies. The Uji Matcha Frappe was added to the regular product lineup in June 2021, and features a mellow matcha flavor. The Strawberry variant is coming back for the first time in three years. The Mont Blanc Tart is a new addition, and is a perfect treat to enjoy with this popular frappe!   

Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe: ¥490

  The Strawberry Matcha Frappe mixes together the full-bodied flavor of matcha together with sweet and sour strawberries. It includes both a strawberry paste made from whole strawberries and a strawberry whipped cream at the bottom. The drink is topped with more strawberry whipped cream and a sprinkling of matcha powder. The refreshing taste of the strawberry sauce coupled with the whipped cream serves to elevate the great flavor of the Uji Matcha even more.    

Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart: ¥390

  The Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart is made with Uji Matcha batter, Uji Matcha whipped cream, white bean paste, and green tea cream. The refined sweetness is complemented by the mellow aroma and slight bitterness of Uji Matcha.   How would you like to enjoy these treats beneath the cherry trees?

Sony Park Mini, a tiny experimental art space in Ginza, is going to hold fans over until Ginza Sony Park opens in 2024. Sony Park Mini is located in a small 3.5 square meter space on B1F of the Nishiginza parking lot adjacent to Ginza Sony Park, which is currently under construction. The concept of the space is to “hold events that highlight local artists.”   More than 30 experimental programs will be held throughout the year highlighting unique creators and artists from all backgrounds including music, film, art, food, fashion, and shopping. Depending on which programs are popular, the project may extend to other cities.    The first event, ‘Ayatake Exaki presents None Session,’ will run from March 23 until April 5, 2022, and will feature the musician and his piano.   Program Schedule 1: March 23 - April 5, 2022 / Ayatake Ezaki (Musical Artist) 2: April 6 - April 19, 2022 / Takuro Tamayama (Contemporary Artist) 3: April 20 - May 2, 2022 / Chiaki Kadota (Painter) 4: May 3 - May 16, 2022 / Neo Sora (Film Director), Aiko Masubuchi (Film Curator) *The period of these events is subject to change. Any changes will be announced on Sony Park Mini social media accounts.   The Nishiginza Parking Lot Coffee shop, located inside Sony Park Mini, will offer a lineup of drinks made from carefully selected coffee beans. Vegan donuts and cookies made with natural ingredients will also be available.

UCC Ueshima Coffee is currently developing the Food with Coffee themed 'UCC CAFE@HOME' selection, pairing snacks with a perfectly matching coffee. Doraemon is the latest to appear in the CAFE@HOME series in the new collaboration, designed by Sanrio. The new series features coffee and gifts based on the Doraemon characters' favorite snacks and was released on September 3, Doraemon's birthday.  

CAFE@HOME Doraemon Series

 

UCC CAFE@HOME DORAEMON Dorayaki Suited Coffee VP10g: ¥281 (Tax Incl.)

 

UCC CAFE@HOME DORAMI Melon Pan Suited Coffee VP10g: ¥281 (Tax Incl.)

UCC CAFE@HOME NOBITA Caffeine-free Coffee VP10g: ¥281 (Tax Incl.)

   

Gifts

UCC CAFE@HOME Doraemon Secret Gadget Print 6-piece Set: ¥1,901 (Tax Incl.)

UCC CAFE@HOME Doraemon Open Lot Printed 6-piece Set: ¥1,685 (Tax Incl.)

     

Goods

Doraemon Mug (Dorayaki): ¥1,540 (Tax Incl.)

Doraemon Cotton Handkerchief (Yellow) ¥990 (Tax Incl.)

Present Campaign Freebie: Original Coaster

    CAFE@HOME, main product and cafe brand of UCC Group's COFFEE STYLE UCC, are releasing a lineup of Doraemon themed coffees, each to be drank with the characters' favorite snacks: One to go with Doraemons beloved Dorayaki, one for Dorami's preferred Melon Pan, and a caffeine-free blend for the sleep-loving Nobita.   UCC has been researching coffee and food combinations for many years, using taste sensors to analyze both the coffee and food before diagnosing the comparability rating between each product. The company has patented their 'Food Matching System' technology, which has now been used to find out which coffee would be best suited to Doraemon's Dorayaki.    An in store campaign has been announced to celebrate the release of CAFE@HOME's Doraemon series, starting on September 3. During the campaign, customers who spend over ¥3,000 on CAFE@HOME's Doraemon series will receive a free coaster. The coasters are only available in store and are limited in quantity. Taste the world of Doraemon for yourself with UCC CAFE@HOME's special coffee technology! 

Classic Japanese coffee chain Key Coffee has teamed up with fashion brand THE SHOP TK for the second time. New merchandise is now available at THE SHOP TK locations nationwide!

Coffee Shop Photo T-shirts 

Key Motif Embroidery

Jet Brew

Jet Brew Tops, perfect for autumn weather

  The two first collaborated in March 2009, releasing items under the theme of ‘life with coffee.’ The merchandise was incredibly well-received, and this new collaboration has a curious new theme: junkissa, or coffee shops which don’t serve alcohol. These establishments have been popular with young people in recent years.   The photo T-shirts in the collection feature images taken by photographer Toshiaki Kitaoka. Each photo was taken in carefully selected coffee shops, picked by Rina Namba, a director of the Tokyo Coffee Shop Research Institute. These include Coffee House Rouen, Koushuya, COFFEE SHOP Galant, and Cafe Crown. Each of these have a classic Showa feel, so if you get the chance, definitely check them out for that retro-Japan feel.   The sustainable material is made from post-brewed coffee powder, and is perfect for cool autumn weather. As with the first collection, the left sleeve is embroidered with the symbolic Key Coffee logo.   Grab some of these pieces for the coffee drinker in your life!

SarutaHiko Coffee have announced that as part of their 10th anniversary celebrations, their fifth celebratory project will be a collaboration with iconic Japanese bag brand PORTER. The bag will be available to preorder on the SarutaHiko Coffee webshop fromAugust 28, 2021. The collaboration bag features a mouton badge that has been dyed using SarutaHiko coffee.

PORTER x SarutaHiko Coffee 'Coffee Bean Shoulder Bag (Bourbon) and Bean Mouton Badge: ¥22,000 (Tax Included)

PORTER x SarutaHiko Coffee 2-way Tote Bag S & Bean Mouton Badge: ¥28,600 (Tax Included)

PORTER x SarutaHiko Coffee 2-way Tote Bag L & Bean Mouton Badge: ¥33,000 (Tax Included)

    The unique coffee bean shaped shoulder bag is the perfect size to fit your smartphone, keys, and other small necessities. The product is named after the Bourbon coffee bean, a bean famous for its high quality, calling back to the previous SarutaHiko Coffee collaboration. The 2-way tote bag features the SarutaHiko Coffee and PORTER logo on both sides, so you can swap it around to suit your mood. The bag also has pockets conveniently placed on both the inside and the outside. The L-size tote is suited to daily use, perfect for school and work as it can fit A4 documents and laptops, with a pocket on the side to fit a water bottle or umbrella.The conveniently sized S-size bag is perfect for neighbourhood shopping trips or short outings.   The bag is dyed a deep coffee brown and has been crafted in a handy unisex design. All collaboration bags come with a removable Bean Mouton badge. The badge is made using mouton that has been dyed using the same beans that are used in SarutaHiko Coffee’sespresso. These collaboration items would make the perfect gift to any coffee-loving friend!