As I have always said, I am a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. So, I always strive to try different types of coffee, be it instant or coffee grounds.
For my new coffee adventure, I am trying the best Japanese coffee brands available today. Of course, I cannot test every single brand, or I’ll go broke, so I have chosen the seven most popular ones.
If you are a fan of watching Japanese movies or animes, you may notice that coffee is a popular drink among them. I have never seen one Japanese film that did not show a coffee vending machine throughout the entire screen time.
Needless to say, Japan has a rich coffee culture. For this reason, I was not surprised when I tried the best Japanese coffee brands and found that they are no less than the best.
If you want to try these brands yourself, I will list them below and where you can get them.
Note: This site uses affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. I only provide unbiased reviews.
Best Japanese Coffee Brands: Seven Of The Must-Try
1. UCC Sumiyaki Coffee
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Consists of top-notch special blend coffee beans – Features pleasant and strong notes – The roasting process uses sumiyaki bbq charcoal | – Can be too strong for some coffee drinkers |
This Japanese coffee is popular for its strong flavours. The UCC Sumiyaki Charcoal Roasted Coffee uses high-quality, fresh beans roasted using sumiyaki charcoal.
Roasting coffee using sumiyaki charcoal allows the beans to have a balanced flavour profile, making it pleasing for coffee drinkers.
But this coffee is more than just delicious. It is also rich in nutrients and antioxidants, making it one of the best Japanese coffee brands out there.
2. Takamura Coffee Roasters
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Easy to prepare – Offers different coffee varieties – Holds the award for Japan’s Cup of Excellence | – Only available in-store and Takamura’s official website |
Takamura Coffee Roasters is one of the most popular and best Japanese coffee brands.
It has fruity notes that are similar to cherry tomatoes, which blend perfectly with the coffee’s hints of orange, blackberry, and black currant flavours.
This brand uses the Loring Smart Roaster to produce a clean and light coffee. The machine brings out the bright acidic notes of coffee, making every cup easy to drink and not overwhelming.
What I also found fascinating about this coffee brand is that it roasts coffee beans in small batches. So, the beans have a balanced roast level, giving the final brew a fantastic taste that every coffee drinker will love.
3. AGF Maxim Luxurious Special Blend Instant Coffee
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Excellent quality – Features a rich aroma – Has a balanced bitterness and sweetness | – A bit on the pricy side |
The best Japanese coffee brands also include instant coffee (yes, Japanese instant coffees are delicious.) Take the AGF Maxim Luxurious Coffee Special Blend, for instance.
This coffee boasts a rich flavour and aroma, thanks to the roasting method the brand uses for preparing the beans. There is a light sourness and bitterness, which makes the coffee bright and refreshing.
This instant coffee also has a full-bodied flavour. This, along with the coffee’s clear aftertaste, makes it a fantastic choice for making latte and black coffee.
4. Kurasu Kyoto House Blend (Dark Roast)
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Perfect for people who like their coffee bitter – Offers a clean aftertaste – The roasting process brought out the best flavours of the coffee beans | – Expensive |
Kurasu is a minimalist coffee bar near Kyoto Station. It serves coffee with different roast levels, making it perfect for people who want to explore various coffee flavours.
One of the most popular coffee from Kurasu Kyoto is its dark roast house blend. You can choose between whole or ground beans and drip coffee bags.
I suggest drip bags if you want easy-to-prepare coffee. But regardless of your choice, all of Kurasu Kyoto’s coffee products do not disappoint.
5. BOSS Coffee by Suntory
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – No preparation required – Various flavours to choose from – Easy to find and purchase | – Not for people who want their personal touch to their coffee |
Unlike coffee grounds and instant coffee, BOSS by Suntory is a brand that offers canned coffee. This brand is extremely popular in Japan, and you can see its products quite literally on every vending machine you will pass by.
BOSS coffee offers five different flavours:
- Rainbow Mountain Blend
- BOSS No-Sugar Black
- Premium BOSS The Latte
- Premium BOSS Limited
- Premium BOSS Black
These coffee flavours range from the regular taste to the richest and creamiest. So, you will never run out of choices in terms of taste and blend.
6. Leaves Coffee Roasters
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Offers unique and flavourful coffee blends – Provides whole and ground bean choices – Uses high-quality coffee beans for its products | – A bit on the pricey side |
Leaves Coffee Roasters is one of the best Japanese coffee brands. It offers impressive coffee, thanks to the unique roasting technic that the brand uses for its coffee beans.
This brand only uses top-notch beans, so you will get no less than the best when you order coffee beans from Leaves Coffee Roasters. The brand also allows you to choose between whole and ground coffee beans.
If you plan to try this coffee, I suggest you order its sample box. The box contains five coffee bags, allowing you to pick which one is perfect for your palate.
7. Wife & Husband
| Reasons To Buy | Reasons To Avoid |
| – Popular for its distinct coffee features – Offers various coffee blends, ranging from the regular to the most sophisticated brew | – Expensive |
Wife & Husband is also one of the best Japanese coffee brands that coffee enthusiasts should try. One of its most popular blends is the Gentleman and Daughter, which you can get as a set from the cafe’s website.
The Gentleman blend is a limited edition for the summer, while the Daughter is a classic blend. Both offer a refreshing taste that is ideal for making iced coffee.
These two coffee blends are also ideal for making iced coffee. So, they are perfect if you want to battle the scorching temperature of the summer using caffeine.
The Takeaway
Different countries have different takes on coffee. And I can attest that Japan’s long coffee culture is still evident today.
The best Japanese coffee brands offer fantastic coffee blends, so you will have a lot to choose from if you want to try them yourself.
And thanks to these brands that constantly invent different coffee blends, there are some unique flavours (Japanese ones) that can change the way you appreciate your coffee!