Sarutahiko Coffee reveals the secret ingredient to their success: a relentless focus on customer smiles and direct trade.
Bar culture and the global coffee scene are now paying close attention to Japan. With inbound tourism approaching 40 million visitors, why do you think not only Japanese food but also beverages are attracting worldwide interest? What do you feel is driving this?
To be honest, I don’t fully understand it myself. I travel around the world and visit many coffee shops, but I don’t feel Japan is experiencing some uniquely explosive boom. Japan isn’t behind or inferior—but at the same time, I wouldn’t say Japan is the best in the coffee world, either. We have areas we’re good at, but we’re not number one at everything. If there’s one thing I do feel, it’s that Japan—and Japanese people—seem to have a somewhat mysterious appeal for people overseas. Images of “exoticness” or quiet refinement may shape how people perceive Japan’s hospitality and craftsmanship.
And Japan is a country that is extremely particular about details. Where other countries might do things more roughly, Japanese people will see something through all the way down to the smallest details. I think that relentless attention to detail is one reason it captures people’s attention around the world.
You mentioned “attention to detail.” Are there specific areas where you feel Japanese people are especially detail-oriented compared with other countries?
Yes, absolutely. In some areas, Japanese people are incredibly meticulous; in other areas, Americans might be more particular. Take cars, for example. Toyota, Volkswagen, and Peugeot all reflect completely different philosophies. Toyota feels very Japanese to me—no matter who drives it, there’s little to complain about; everything is convenient; it’s well-balanced and harmonious. That “stress-free to use” experience feels like a symbol of Japan. I can’t say definitively whether this culture emerged after the war or goes further back to the Edo period, but Japan has long had values rooted in delicacy, harmony, and anticipating how others feel. I think that connects directly to today’s service mindset and craftsmanship.
It’s often said that Japanese people are good at sensing how others feel. You said that can be a strength in hospitality—could you elaborate?
I think Japanese people are extremely sensitive to others’ emotions and to “reading the room.” Sometimes people say it can be excessive, but when it works in a positive way, it becomes omotenashi. At our company, colleagues watch each other closely, and I personally am always paying attention to everyone’s expressions and how they’re doing. We try to channel this tendency not into shrinking back or holding back, but into compassion and proactive care.
Is that “ability to sense” something you actively train? How does it translate into service?
Yes—we intentionally cultivate it. We have a training room on the floor below our basement office, and through daily training we guide people to naturally read what someone is looking for from their facial expression and the atmosphere. For example, imagine a tired customer comes in. How you speak to them and how you close the distance depends on their response. There’s no script. I used to be an actor, and I believe the best performance is improvisation. You feel the person in that moment and build the conversation. That kind of natural exchange is what customers want, in my view. We teach staff not to be passive, but to take the initiative to connect. Through that, the “ability to sense” is naturally developed.
Warmth served straight from Ebisu, Tokyo
In business, there’s the “yes, but” mindset—but I’ve heard your approach is “yes,
If you say “no,” the conversation ends right there. For example, if someone asks, “Would you like some water?” and you say, “No,” that’s the end. But if you say, “Yes—I’d like water, and I’m also curious about a cola,” the conversation continues. To keep communication flowing and deepen human connection, we value this “yes, plus” way of thinking.
With so many tourists visiting Japan, you’ve expanded to locations like Kichijoji, Shimokitazawa, Uehara, Shibuya, and Harajuku, and you’re planning to open in Kyoto as well. Competition is intense—how do you plan to differentiate?
The thing I’ve valued most is: “How do we get people to come back?” We’ve done very little in terms of special measures aimed at inbound tourists. Kyoto is the one exception—it’s unique because the customer base will be primarily tourists, so we’re mindful about creating a shop that makes people feel glad they came. That said, we don’t intend to dramatically change the menu or the concept. I want it firmly positioned as an extension of what we started in Ebisu. If we focused only on inbound demand, we could probably open one to five stores—but reaching fifty or a hundred would be difficult. Because we eventually want to go overseas, our strategy right now is to do what’s in front of us properly.
Japan is facing a severe labor shortage. How are you thinking about hiring going forward? Are you considering hiring foreign staff?
At the moment, we’re not doing anything special. Whenever we open a new store, we receive around thirty times the number of applicants we need, so we don’t currently have a problem attracting people. What matters more is: “How do we raise employee salaries?” For that, we need to generate solid profits. Right now, rather than focusing on labor-shortage measures, we’re building the foundations to make the company stronger.
Your pace of opening stores is very fast—what’s the secret behind your success?
It’s old-fashioned, but a big factor is that we were able to borrow significant funding from senior entrepreneurs I knew from university. I can’t thank them enough. Without their support, we wouldn’t have been able to expand the way we have.
Looking ahead, how would you like to scale the company? Could you share your vision?
What we aim for isn’t the extraordinary—it’s “the best within everyday life.” In other words, delivering the most delicious coffee in the context of daily living. We call this “Everyday Coffee.” That’s why, beyond our cafés, we want to develop products that carry that highest value in places like supermarkets as well.
Our canned coffee work with Coca-Cola and our supervision of Lawson’s counter coffee come from the same philosophy: whether it’s a ¥100 coffee or a ¥500 coffee, we want to make the best possible product in that price range. Of course, I’m also interested in more challenging projects—there’s an allure to a coffee experience on the level of a Michelin three-star restaurant. But the level of the World Barista Championship is higher than most people imagine, and it isn’t easy. If Ito becomes the champion, that would be more than enough for me. Ultimately, I feel we can provide value that connects more to human happiness than the current shape of capitalism—and that idea sits at the foundation of our business model.
I’d also like to ask about environmental issues and sustainability. How are you approaching them?
We’re very conscious of them, but we try not to overcomplicate things. For me, the essence of environmental and social issues comes down to one question: “Can we be kind to people?” In Japan, there’s the concept of sanpō yoshi—good for the seller, good for the buyer, good for society. This can expand into “six-way good,” including producers, the planet, and future children. I sometimes speak about this in lectures, but when I looked into it, I realized we had been practicing it naturally. Starbucks focuses on contributions to local communities; for us, we believe focusing on people—customers, colleagues, and producers—creates a positive cycle more quickly.
Out of your 26–29 locations nationwide (as of December), which store would you recommend to readers overseas?
Chofu is wonderful, but it might be a bit far. In Tokyo, I’d recommend the Harajuku store—and of course the small flagship in Ebisu. It’s packed with our origins.
Major global coffee brands are entering Japan and competition is intensifying. How do you view this, and how will you maintain competitiveness?
I often visit other shops to study them, but I rarely see them as “competitors.” Many specialty coffee shops focus on light roasts; we do dark roasts as well. From the start, we’ve chosen not to be in the “same group.” I prefer to stay independent and pursue our own path, rather than belonging to a group for a sense of security. It gives us freedom of movement. Also, our barista coach is from Rosso Coffee in Canada—someone at the forefront of the industry who has trained world champions. People like that resonate with what we’re doing. That’s the biggest encouragement—and it’s one reason I feel confident we’re heading in the right direction.
If we were to interview you again three years from now, what would you want to have achieved?
Above all, I want Ito to become the World Barista Champion. To work harder than anyone in the world and win that title in Tokyo—that’s my biggest wish. From a business perspective, I’m thinking about sales, profits, and increasing the company’s value. To be frank, in three years I’d like to grow revenue to 1.8 times what it is now—ideally close to double.
For more information, visit their website at: https://en.sarutahiko.jp/
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