Starbucks Coffee - Kyoto Nishikikoji — Restaurant in Kyoto

Starbucks Japan is the Starbucks I grew up knowing and loving. Ample seating, a simple menu, and a pleasant place to be. There is nothing pleasant about Starbucks in the US anymore. I guess when your sole purpose is to maximize profits, it comes at the price of your soul.

I had been hitting 20k steps a day on my Japan trip, so wanted to just have a chill day, write some reviews, get off my feet, and just relax a bit. I popped into this beautiful Starbucks in Kyoto with natural light flooding through the huge window panes, and did just that. It was amazing.

Before you come at me and say “Johnny why didn’t you go to a local Japanese coffee shop and immerse yourself in the culture,” the Japanese LOVE Starbucks. It is a part of their culture so I’m not hearing that. Plus I just get a black coffee so whatever.

When I wanted to sit and chill or grab a coffee with a friend, I always used to hit Starbucks. Now, I don’t even think about Starbucks as a viable option for that. It’s purely transactional. Even if there is seating, it’s just not a pleasant experience. The baristas are purely focused on pumping out mobile orders and the interiors are generally just grimey now.

I acknowledge that as a consumer, I am part of the problem. I’m guilty of relying on mobile orders to just grab a quick coffee, but sometimes I just yearn for the days of going into a Starbucks, sitting down, and taking a breath.

Maybe I’m asking too much. Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I just want my cake that I have already eaten. But, in the same breath, Starbucks Japan showed me that it’s possible.

THANK YOU STARBUCKS JAPAN!

IG @jnov_ Tiktok...

It was cold and windy in the after and I wanted a hot drink. I saw Starbuck shop when I was on my way to Nishiki market. I wanted to order ginger bread de-caff to go and asked whether I could use my own cup instead of their plastic paper cup. I still have little bit of ginger tea left over inside my cup and requested her to use hot water to rinse it off. She refused and asked me to buy new cup in starbuck shop, which it was weird to me. I ordered ginger bread drink at Starbuck located inside Kyoto Station and they didn't say no when I want to use my own cup. They even rinse it with hot boiling water before making my order.

Not being able to communicate properly in Japanese, I said it was okay and left the shop.

In Singapore, Starbuck staffs never say no to customers who requested to use their own cup. They always inform customer that the drink might not be able to fit in the cup,

It would be nice if Starbuck can set a standard system that customers may use their own cup worldwide and apply to all outlets.

Save the planet, use less plactic cover...

The staff or I think she was the manager was rude. I purchased my drink, went upstairs to study while drinking my beverage and I fell asleep for about 10 mins. Next thing I know she tapped my chair and told me don't sleep here! She was very rude about it. It was surprising because I have fell asleep at other locations while studying or reading and no one never told me anything. I can understand if I did something wrong, or if I bothered other customers or caused a commotion, but I just fell asleep. Forgive me for being human and feeling a little...