Japan’s love for coffee runs deep. The country is home to a vibrant and diverse coffee culture. You can find everything from quiet, traditional coffee houses to sleek, modern espresso bars. This guide will walk you through everything you need for ordering coffee in Japanese.

First, we’ll explore the different types of coffee shops. Next, we’ll cover the essential vocabulary and phrases. Finally, you’ll learn how to customize your drink just the way you like it. By the end, you’ll be able to order with complete confidence.

 

1. Types of Coffee Shops: Kissaten vs. Café

Before ordering, it helps to know where you are. Broadly speaking, Japan has two main types of coffee shops. Each offers a different experience. The first is the traditional 喫茶店 (kissaten). These are often quiet, retro-style shops. They usually have table service and specialize in siphon or pour-over coffee. The second is the modern カフェ (kafe). These are similar to Western-style coffee shops. They range from big chains to independent third-wave spots and typically have counter service.

Coffee Shop Vocabulary
喫茶店 (きっさてん) – Kissaten – A traditional, full-service coffee house.
カフェ (かふぇ) – Kafe – A modern, Western-style café.
カウンター (かうんたー) – Kauntā – Counter (where you order in a café).
セルフサービス (せるふさーびす) – Serufu sābisu – Self-service.
席 (せき) – Seki – Seat / table.

2. The Core Phrases for Ordering Your Coffee

Next, let’s cover the most important part of ordering coffee in Japanese: the core phrases. Most modern cafés follow a simple process. First, you line up. Then, you place your order at the counter. The following pattern is the key to ordering almost anything. Simply fill in the blanks with your choices. It is polite and easy to understand.

The Main Ordering Pattern
[Drink Name] を [Size] で [Number] つお願いします。
〔どりんく〕を〔さいず〕で〔かず〕つおねがいします。
[Drink Name] o [Size] de [Number] tsu onegai shimasu.

Example:
カフェラテをMサイズで一つお願いします。
かふぇらてをえむさいずでひとつおねがいします。
Kafe rate o Emu-saizu de hitotsu onegai shimasu.
One medium caffè latte, please.

In addition to the main pattern, the staff will likely ask you two key questions. They will want to know if you want it hot or cold. They will also ask if you are staying in or taking it away. Knowing these phrases is incredibly helpful.

Essential Questions & Answers
Hot or Cold?
Staff: ホットとアイス、どちらにしますか。
Hotto to aisu, dochira ni shimasu ka? (Hot or ice, which will it be?)
You: ホットでお願いします。(Hotto de onegai shimasu.) – Hot, please.
You: アイスでお願いします。(Aisu de onegai shimasu.) – Iced, please.

For Here or To Go?
Staff: 店内でお召し上がりですか。
Tennai de omeshiagari desu ka? (Will you be having it in the store?)
You: 店内で。(Tennai de.) – For here.
You: 持ち帰りで。(Mochikaeri de.) – To go.

3. Must-Know Coffee Menu Vocabulary

Of course, a key part of ordering coffee in Japanese is knowing the names of the drinks. Luckily, most common coffee terms are borrowed from English. This makes them relatively easy to remember. However, the pronunciation will be Japanese-style.

Common Coffee Drinks
コーヒー (こーひー) – Kōhī – Coffee (usually black drip coffee)
ブレンドコーヒー (ぶれんどこーひー) – Burendo kōhī – Blend coffee (house blend)
カフェラテ (かふぇらて) – Kafe rate – Caffè latte
カプチーノ (かぷちーの) – Kapuchīno – Cappuccino
アメリカーノ (あめりかーの) – Amerikāno – Americano
エスプレッソ (えすぷれっそ) – Esupuresso – Espresso
水出しコーヒー (みずだしこーひー) – Mizudashi kōhī – Cold brew coffee

Sizes & Extras
Sサイズ (えすさいず) – Esu-saizu – S size
Mサイズ (えむさいず) – Emu-saizu – M size
Lサイズ (えるさいず) – Eru-saizu – L size
ミルク (みるく) – Miruku – Milk
砂糖 (さとう) – Satō – Sugar

4. How to Customize Your Drink

A more advanced step in ordering coffee in Japanese is learning to customize your drink. For example, you might want decaf or a milk alternative. Japanese cafés are usually very accommodating. Learning a few extra phrases will help you get exactly what you want.

Customization Phrases
Asking for Decaf:
デカフェはありますか。
でかふぇはありますか。
Dekafe wa arimasu ka?
Do you have decaf?

Changing Milk Type:
豆乳に変更できますか。
とうにゅうにへんこうできますか。
Tōnyū ni henkō dekimasu ka?
Can you change it to soy milk?
(Replace 豆乳 with オーツミルク for oat milk)

Adjusting Ingredients:
氷は少なめでお願いします。
こおりはすくなめでおねがいします。
Kōri wa sukuname de onegai shimasu.
With less ice, please.
(Use 多め (ōme) for “more”)

5. Paying for Your Order and Leaving

Finally, after enjoying your coffee, it is time to pay. In a modern café, you usually pay when you order. In a traditional kissaten, however, you pay at the end. The staff will bring a bill to your table or you can ask for it. This is the final step in ordering coffee in Japanese. When you leave, a simple polite phrase shows your appreciation.

Paying and Leaving Phrases
Asking for the Bill (at a kissaten):
お会計お願いします。
おかいけいおねがいします。
Okaikei onegai shimasu.
The bill, please.

Stating Payment Method:
カードでお願いします。(Kādo de onegai shimasu.) – With card, please.
現金でお願いします。(Genkin de onegai shimasu.) – With cash, please.

Saying Thanks When Leaving:
ごちそうさまでした。
ごちそうさまでした。
Gochisōsama deshita.
Thank you for the meal/drink.

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