Only 10 of these special branches exist nationwide, and they each have a vibe that’s like stepping into a traditional chashitsu tea room.
Our reporter K. Masami is mad about Starbucks. She’s tried every new Frappuccino the chain has made over the past few years, and picked up bear plugs, colour-changing cups, and special-edition ice cream bowls along the way.
However, despite her longstanding love affair with Starbucks, there’s one side to the chain she’d never experienced until this week — its Starbucks Tea & Cafe stores. That’s understandable, given that only 10 of them exist in Japan and they’re mostly relegated to the big cities while she resides in the countryside. Plus, she loves drinking coffee, so the sound of a tea cafe just didn’t have the same appeal to her as a regular Starbucks…
