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Blue Bottle Coffee may seem like it’s expanding across cities in Japan, but its offshoot, the Blue Bottle Studio, is far more exclusive, appearing only in a handful of locations around the world. Blue Bottle Studio Kyoto is the only such concept in Japan, tucked away on the second floor of a beautifully restored 100-year-old machiya townhouse just around the corner from Nanzenji Temple.
Unlike the regular café on the ground floor, Blue Bottle Studio Kyoto only opens for a limited period each season and is accessible by reservation only. It seats just five guests at a time, serving a curated coffee tasting course overseen by Blue Bottle founder James Freeman.
This spring, Blue Bottle Studio Kyoto will operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from April 1 to May 18. The theme of the seasonal tasting course is ‘Future of Coffee’, focusing on non-Arabica varieties, particularly Liberica from Vietnam and Malaysia, and Excelsa from India.
These rare beans account for just 1 percent of the global coffee market. Their cherries are larger than those of the prevalent Arabica, and are known for their rich sweetness and fruity aromas. These characteristics are explored through six drinks, including a rich cup prepared using the traditional Japanese nel drip method, reminiscent of the country’s kissaten (retro coffee shop) culture. The course also includes three pairing sweets inspired by the beans’ tropical flavours.
The Blue Bottle Studio coffee course is priced at ¥8,910 and runs for 90 minutes. Online reservations are now open.