To a lot of people who love coffee, coffee is not just a drink: It’s an experience, it’s a coming together, and it’s in itself an expression of the surrounding world. There are a few cafes that seem to be head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to specialty coffee who share our passion for quality, community, and craftsmanship. One of these standouts, and perhaps the most famous name in all of Japan’s third wave, is Onibus Coffee. However, what sets Onibus Coffee apart? So how did this coffee roaster and café, the size of which is frozen in time by its name become so beloved among coffee enthusiasts?
In this post we take a deep dive into the world of Onibus Coffee by crafting its roots, ideal holds on coffee as well as why it has struck a chord with coffee connoisseurs in Japan and globally.
Established in 2012 by Atsushi Sakao, Onibus Coffee is a place for achieving the best in coffee and human interactivity. The very name “onibus” is Portuguese for Bus, to highlight the notion of people meeting, traveling and sharing moments — like in passengers on a bus. That coffee brings people together, is a metaphor that Onibus Coffee immediately established as the foundation of their mission when they started.
Sakao was influenced by the third-wave coffee movement that was sweeping through cities like San Francisco, Portland and Melbourne. It prioritized open sourcing, became sustainable from farm to farm practices, and walked where coffee brewing was an art. Having traveled and worked with some of the top roasters in the entire world, Sakao moved back to Tokyo with a mission to embody these ethos on Japan’s coffee stage.
Onibus Coffee: A Philosophy
Onibus Coffee is unique from other cafes and roasters because for them, it is all about simplicity, authenticity, and connection. International coffee chain Onibus Coffee also has a very minimalist design and attitude toward its cups. Clean and basic spaces with natural elements such as wood, open floor plans which can provide a feeling of welcome and warmth. Instead, it’s a space where the attention is on quality engagement and top-notch coffee unencumbered by frivolity.
Sakao describes Onibus Coffee as a “people and coffee connect” brand, an ethos that pervades all their operations. Whether it be their conscientious choice of beans, the care and precision devoted to roasting each batch, or even the thoughtful process given to pour-over preparation on a single cup level — it actually has very little if anything at all to do with coffee; rather, how we grow, roast, brew, and even drink our coffee.
Coffee is at the core of Onibus Coffee. Onibus are famous for their relentless pursuit of the finest beans from farmers and producers committed to sustainable and ethical farming. The café imports beans from small coffee-farming communities around the world directly with the goal of promoting practices that protect the environment as well as society, only using those grown by environmentally-conscious and justly-paid farmers.
One of the rooms One of the keys to Onibus Coffee’s success in roasting is the detailed attention it gives during this process. We roast our own beans, always aiming to give them a medium profile which brings out what is distinct about each type. The aim is to strike a balance between acidity and sweetness, body and by doing so translating each coffee into the medium that tells the story of its beginning. Such emphasis on transparency and craftsmanship has enchanted many coffee lovers who enjoy the subtleties that single-origin coffee can offer.
The coffee menu at Onibus Coffee is purposely straightforward to nod toward espresso-based drinks, pour over coffee, and cold brew. The café also makes a point to keep the menu simple which means its coffee really takes center stage, and espresso needn’t be emphasized by clutter that can sometimes drown out what a bean has to offer.
A very singular journey at Onibus Coffee, and one of the reasons it has such a feverish following. All of the Onibus locations are thoughtfully designed to fit within the minimalism of the brand and be a comfortable place for customers to hang out, have coffee, and relax. Whether in the original Nakameguro location, Okusawa cafe or bustling spots throughout Shibuya, the mood remains a peaceful place with plenty of human connection and quality coffee.
A good example is their Nakameguro location which looks more of a tiny, homey café but with an open bar where customers could watch the baristas make each cup of coffee individually. The coffee-over-everything mantra is still in full effect, but with the relaxed vibe and personable staff that makes it all the more personal. The café boasts an in-house roastery where guests can watch the coffee bean roasting process, which only adds to the openness, authenticity of the overall experience.
By contrast, the one in Shibuya is a tad more high-strung to suit the frenetic surroundings of its location. Beyond that, even in this busier setting, the emphasis on quality and connection is once again unaltered. The time and effort they put into each cup, whether it’s a quick espresso on the run or sitting down to savor a slow brew.
There has been a boom in the Tokyo coffee scene over the last few years and now amazing specialty cafes are all over town. Yet with Onibus Coffee, the brand is something of a pioneer in Japan’s third-wave coffee scene. Tokyo cafes are known for their aesthetics, but Onibus has not lost sight of what is important; it values craft and connection over trends.
One of the things that is exceptional about Onibus is that they are very cool and part of an emerging global specialty trend is that they have maintained a community. The café is visited by a lot of regular customers, and oftentimes conversation is struck up thanks to the shared love for coffee. It is this community feel that Sakao and his team have worked to create, and one of the reasons behind the individual experience at Onibus.
Onibus Coffee: a world of its own
One would not believe that such a small operation as Onibus Coffee could make ripples on the global coffee scene. That Onibus has risen to pantheon status among the coffee destinations of Tokyo is well known: Fans of coffee from all corners of the world make it a priority stop after landing in Haneda, and visitors to Tokyo often are sure It passes itself off as one.
They have also connected with some of the leading roasters and coffee professionals worldwide, thus facilitating an open dialogue between innovative thinkers in specialty coffee. Onibus have made this standard more accessible by keeping a firm focus on sustainability, quality and connection.
The success of Onibus Coffee has much to teach not just the obsessed but in fact a broad cross section, from coffee nerds like me to those curious about cafes.Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Revenue Share Tips Here are a few key takeaways:
Quality Over Quantity
Part of what has made Onibus Coffee such a success is their focus on quality over quantity. To perfect the craft of brewing liquid gold, they kept their menu simple and their focus in check. This is an important lesson that people entering the coffee industry should keep in mind that sometimes less is more! Instead of having a broad menu, concentrate on delivering the best thing.
Build a Community
Onibus Coffee has done well according to Yasuo because it is more than just another coffee spot, it is a community. At Onibus, there is always the human connection, be it a conversation at a cafe table or getting to know farmers and producers. Creating a community like this can give a café a competitive edge and ensure customers keep on returning.
Embrace Sustainability
It is a principle at the heart of Onibus’s mission to source sustainably. The café works directly with sustainable, family-owned farms to promote environmentally friendly farming practices and secure a future for the coffee business. Sustainability is an increasingly requested feature, so cafes that follow this trend may more easily establish themselves in a saturated market.
In Tokyo, or for a coffee enthusiast touring through Japan, Onibus Coffee is a stop you can not miss. With minimalist design, stringent focus on quality and sustainability, Onibus presents a coffee experience that is distinct and very rare. Whether you are the occasional coffee sipper or a seasoned connoisseur, paying Onibus Coffee a visit will heighten your sense of how deep this culture runs and how interconnected it makes us all.
Amid the ever-evolving global coffee culture, Onibus Coffee remains a pillar of simplicity, truthfulness and togetherness.
Here at Coffee Alchemy, We explore everything from brewing techniques and bean origins to the latest in coffee trends and gadgets. Learn More About Us
Copyright © 2024 Coffea alchemy All Rights Reserved
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter & keep up with our latest blog about coffee. You can unsubscribe at any time.
