I remember when the very first Starbucks landed in Japan on a side street just south of the main drag in Ginza, Tokyo. It was thirty years ago in 1996 and not surprisingly, trying to get into the place just after it opened was another exercise in futility. Again with any new and popular shiny place, hourlong (at least) lineups were the usual thing. The video above by Destination Japan shows Starbucks No. 1 in Japan celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Eventually, I did get to go into the place and since then, Starbucks has become a frequent destination to meet people and even teach them. Although the Ginza branch didn't become one of those oft-visited places for me, I was a fairly regular customer at the West Shinjuku branch. To be honest, I never became a huge fan of the coffee there since it seemed to taste somewhat charred, but I did like their seasonal miniature take on Sacher torte (imported from Austria) which is this dense chocolate cake completely slathered in rich chocolate icing. It looks like and feels like an NHL-issue puck going down the gullet. As I said, I enjoyed it but I learned never to have one during a school night.
Anyways, singer-songwriter kiki vivi lily has given her own tribute to the modern coffeehouse via her "Hoshi Kissaten" (Starcaffe). A track on her May 2023 EP "Blossom", if I can use some complimentary coffee terms, it's a creamy and rich number that goes down well and could be entered into the Neo-City Pop genre or perhaps it can be considered to be a good ol' pop tune. Also, give thanks to kiki vivi lily's own creamy vocals. As someone who's not a coffee connoisseur (since I love cream in my coffee), I'm all for this, along with a latte and a cinnamon roll.
I've heard about this Starbucks Reserve in Tokyo, which is purportedly the largest Starbucks of its kind in the world. A couple of my friends have had dinner there. Only in Japan, eh?
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