Starbucks
Many of us are used to walking into Starbucks, ordering our go-to coffee, grabbing it and heading to the next destination. However, the coffee giant has Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations around the globe that offer unique beverages and next-level experiences designed to make you stick around longer, like the coffee-tasting experience at Starbucks Reserve Roastery in New York City. Over in Tokyo, Japan, its Starbucks Reserve Roastery has four floors — with a top-floor experience you probably won’t find anywhere else.
It’s coined the AMU Inspiration Lounge, and its concept comes from the idea of amu, which translates to “to knit together” according to a Starbucks News & Stories article.And that’s exactly what Tokyo’s residents and tourists can expect on the top floor, because it hosts events and seminars like coffee tastings around large communal tables. When there’s not an event, it’s acceptable to hold last-minute meetings and gatherings in the AMU Inspiration Lounge. The area is also poised to be the first certified Specialty Coffee Association location for the chain to train those who aspire to work in the coffee industry.
Events you can attend at Starbucks Reserve Tokyo’s AMU Inspiration Lounge
Starbucks
Look took a look at the type of events you can attend at the AMU Inspiration Lounge. Some happenings on its line-up include a tour of the entire roastery and an espresso tasting session. There’s also a session on whiskey and coffee in honor of the chain’s new Whisky Barrel-Aged coffee beans. The sessions do cost and have time limits, but there seems to be a lot going on there.
Its aesthetics also match the communal vibe Starbucks aims to have with its events. A look at the fourth floor shows both large tables for meetings and gatherings, smaller tables ideal for one-on-one meetings where you can try the Japanese Starbucks menu items we don’t have in the U.S, high ceilings, wood fixtures, and what appear to be coffee bean dispensers. Yelp reviews show that the lounge gives you views of an art installation and of the other floors below.
As to what’s on those other floors, you’ll find a coffee bar, large coffee roasters, art installations, a cocktail bar on the third floor, and an atrium. Meanwhile, here in the U.S., it’s now easier to order Starbucks via delivery for an at-home boost while you plan your trip to Tokyo.