Roast Your Own Beans and Have Coffee With a Hedgehog at the Best Cafés in Yokohama

Support a local micro-roastery and have a cappuccino with a hedgehog at Yokohama’s best cafés.

When Japan opened up to the rest of the world in the mid-19th century, the port of Yokohama sat at the frontline of international trade. And one of the exotic imports its residents came to embrace was coffee, which is now a vital part of the city’s food and drink scene. With speciality coffee haven Tokyo only 40km (25mi) away and plenty of historical architecture providing a striking backdrop, Yokohama’s café culture is a unique fusion of the traditional and the modern. These are the best coffee shops to experience it.

Destinations Unlocked:
Let our travel expert Stefano help you find your perfect Culture tripCentralAmerica
1. Guatemala
An express adventure for those with limited time off. Prepare yourself incredible experiences. You will hike a volcano, visit mayan temples and witness a ceremony and take in beautiful colonial Antigua.CentralAmerica
2. Belize
A quick trip not too far away for those seeking a relaxing mini break. You will have plenty of free time to relax but also some awesome activities to experience the rainforest and the caribbean sea.CentralAmerica
3. Mexico
An exciting mini trip exploring the lesser known colonial towns of central Mexico. This is hte perfect trip for someone with limited time off and still wants to turn on explorer mode and do something different.SouthAmerica
1. Ecuador
A remarkable 8 days adventure through the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. The best choice for adventure seekers wishing to visit the 2 most iconic areas of South America, in only 1 week and no flights.SouthAmerica
2. Peru
An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon.Europe
1. Italy
The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.Europe
2. Scotland
Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers.Europe
3. Portugal
A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers.Asia
1. South Korea
Discover incredible temples, mountains and modern cities on this 10 day adventure. This trip is perfect for those seeking immersion in the cuisine, culture and natural wonders of South Korea.Asia
2. Thailand
From Bankgok to Angkor Wat to Ho Chi Minh City and everything in between - adventure through the heart of South-East Asia. Taste the delights, see history brought to life and unwind on a Mekong River cruise.Asia
3. Sri Lanka
A fantastic adventure that showcases Sri Lanka's fantastic landscapes, wildlife and flavours. With 3 epic rail journeys, 3 UNESCO heritage sites and time to relax, this trip has loads to offer at a great priceAfrica
1. Morocco
An epic journey across Morocco: from Casablanca to Marrakech, through the blue city of Chefchaouen to the wonders of the desert and deep to the High Atlas Mountains - this trip has it all! Ideal for true explorers!Africa
2. Egypt
From Cairo to Aswan, this trip brings the land of the pharaohs to life. You'll visit the Pyramids, Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temple and cruise down the Nile in style. This is the perfect way to explore Egypt.Yokohama Coffee Stand
Cafe, Coffee
This Scandi-cool coffee shop takes the word ‘minimalist’ to a new level. Two blocks from Motomachi-Chūkagai Station in Chinatown, Yokohama Coffee Stand’s grey-tile exterior welcomes visitors to an ultra pared-down space with white walls, blonde floorboards and only a couple of timber benches on which to sit and sip a cappuccino. This place is all about the coffee – a selection of cookies is the only food available to go with a brew from the La Marzocco Linea Classic machine, manned by only one barista, who also whips up seasonal products such as strawberry-infused coffee.
Cafe Elliott Avenue
Cafe, Coffee
Seattle might be more than 7,500km (4,660mi) from Yokohama, but this Western-style café opposite Yamashita Park is a homage to the city that gave the world Starbucks. Seattle also pioneered latte art in the 1980s thanks to David Schomer and his roastery Espresso Vivace, and Cafe Elliott Avenue is one of the rare places coffee lovers can find Vivace beans in Japan. Manning the La Marzocco Strada EP-2 are Junko Hata and Kengo Koshiishi – a pair of baristas trained in Seattle by Vivace – who pour velvety smooth lattes to be enjoyed in the spacious booths and tables that surround the roomy coffee bar.
Hedgehog Cafe Harry
Cafe, Coffee

Japan is known around the world for its cat and dog cafés, but hedgehogs? That’s a new one. Sharing the same block with Yokohama Coffee Stand, Hedgehog Cafe Harry is a haven for these adorable little creatures; they’re normally so tuckered out from running around their spinning wheels that they fall asleep in customers’ hands. Coffee and hedgehog snacks are included in a half-hour visit to this cosy space, which has a tree growing in the centre of it and cartoons explaining the different variations – such as salt and pepper, cinnamon and apricot – on the walls.
Chano-ma
Cafe, Tea Room, Tea
Chano-ma is one of the venues breathing new life into the 90-year-old Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse – a historic industrial hub at the heart of Yokohama’s port, reinvented since the turn of the millennium as a food and culture hotspot. This huge venue bills itself as a tea room for the 21st century, right down to the DJ booth spinning relaxing tracks to go with a warm drink and choice of seating options, from the shoeless koagari platforms to the balcony tables gazing out over the Bay Bridge. Tea is the speciality here, but coffee lovers won’t be disappointed.
Good On You Coffee Stand
Cafe, Coffee
Owner Naruto Akaishi fell in love with Australian coffee culture when he lived Down Under for seven years, so much so that he built an Aussie-style café when he returned to Japan. Sitting on a street corner near Isezaki-chōjamachi Station, the sign above the door promises two classic Aussie treats inside: pie and coffee. Beans from London roastery Allpress Espresso and warm meat pies as good as any on offer in Sydney suit the subtle Australian decor, including road signs on the walls and a laughing kookaburra in the logo. Good On You also turns into a standing bar every evening after 5pm.
Bukatsudo
Cafe, Coffee
Bukatsudo is an uber-modern co-working space overlooking the docks of Minatomirai. And the work lounges, classrooms, meeting spaces and art studios brimming with young professionals are fuelled with caffeine from this equally trendy speciality coffee bar. With polished concrete floors and a buzzing neon sign above the Synesso Cyncra 2 machine, Bukatsudo serves coffee from Japanese roasters Switch Coffee Tokyo and HONO Roasteria – order an elaborate syphon filter for a dash of chemistry with the cuppa. The café also runs lessons on latte art and brewing techniques for budding baristas.
Nagi Coffee
Cafe, Coffee

Husband-and-wife team Kohei and Miruki Nakamura run this welcoming micro-roastery, which roasts its coffee beans in-house. Sharing a red-brick building with an antique shop and residential apartments, Nagi Coffee is a laid-back coffee shop with a few wooden stools next to bins full of beans explaining the provenance of each brew. Beans from Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Sumatra and every other corner of the coffee-growing globe are on the menu, as are limited-edition roasts sourced from Brazil and Ethiopia, which are available in 100gm (3.5oz) bags to take away. However, the house signature is the Nagi Blend, which combines four different beans, each roasted separately.
Café de la Presse
Cafe, Coffee, French
Café de la Presse’s marble pillars and glistening gold coffee machine could have been lifted straight out of Paris in a bygone era. Sharing a grand four-storey building with Yokohama’s cultural centre and a couple of museums, this French café’s dessert cabinet is jam-packed with macarons, pastries and other sweet treats – a view almost as impressive as the row of ginkgo trees on Nippon Odori Street near the port outside. The drinks list includes concoctions called the journalists’ coffee (a separate double espresso and whipped milk for “grumpy reporters”, per the menu), the lawyers’ coffee (mixed with egg liqueur advocaat “to refresh your tongue like a lawyer”) and the judges’ coffee (a blend of coffee and orange liqueur as a “cup of awareness”).
Coffee Tonya
Cafe, Coffee
Local roastery Coffee Tonya runs this retail space close to Yokohama’s bustling train station, offering small bags of its own product as well as green beans that DIY roasters can take home. Staff and signage help visitors select the right beans, depending on their preferred origin, brewing method and roasting preference (light to dark), and anyone who picks up a bag also gets a free coffee from the La Marzocco machine in-store. It’s only a small space – the eight or so seats are overwhelmed by the galaxy of beans that fill the shop – but coffee nerds should pop in to peruse the shelves.
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.