On the ground at Japan’s biggest coffee conference

Purring grinders and espresso machines, steaming water swirled over drippers, the occasional clink of a spoon, the air rich with fruity and chocolaty aromas — the SCAJ World Specialty Coffee Conference and Exhibition is was good for more than just a buzz.

The Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ) organized Asia’s largest specialty coffee event for the 21st year from Oct. 9 to 11, and it was the biggest yet with more than 500 booths, 390 companies and 35 countries. Major coffee brands debuted their newest products, while award-winning baristas — including Tetsu Kasuya (and FamilyMart’s booth boasting their collab coffee with him), Miki Takamasa from Koffee Mameya Kakeru, and Shao Sing Lim (2022 Taiwan Latte Art champion) — were in attendance for various competitions and events.

Though the event is pretty much over, last-minute coffee enthusiasts can still head to the South Hall 3 of the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on Oct. 12 to catch the last of the Coffee Village area, where hundreds of small coffee shops from all over Japan offer free coffee tastings and sell their beans and merchandise.