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Cafe & Coffee Shop

When and Where Did the Habit of Drinking Coffee Come From?

About this topic

The question 'When and where did the habit of drinking coffee come from?' re-examines the historical and cultural background from which coffee, the beverage we enjoy daily today, was born, how it spread around the world, and how it formed cafe culture. Coffee is not merely a luxury item but is deeply intertwined with religious rituals, social interaction, economic trade, and the history of colonialism. From legends in Ethiopia to its spread to the Islamic world, its arrival in Europe, and then to Japan — this question serves as an entry point to decipher human history of exchange and cultural transformation through the history of a beverage. Why do we now drink coffee in cafes? By exploring the origins of this habit, the larger context carried by small daily acts becomes visible.

Conceptual positions
01 Cultural Diffusion Theory

Coffee gradually diffused from Ethiopia to Arabia, Europe, and Japan. Through networks of religion, trade, and colonialism, it became a global luxury item.

02 Social Ritual Theory

The habit of drinking coffee was nurtured in coffeehouses and cafes as places of social interaction. A sociological perspective that human relationships and the public sphere are formed through ritual.

03 Economic History View

As a cash crop, coffee greatly contributed to the formation of colonial economies and world markets. A position that captures the transformation from luxury item to global commodity through economic history.

04 Everyday Culture Theory

The habit of drinking coffee became established not as a special ritual but as a small daily act. A perspective that it spread while acquiring unique meanings in each region, like Japan's unique kissaten culture.

Talk entry points

  1. When do you think the habit of drinking coffee began? Please look back on when you started drinking coffee in your own life.

  2. What thoughts did you have upon learning that trade and colonialism were behind coffee spreading around the world?

  3. Why do you think Japan's unique kissaten culture was born? What is different from Western coffeehouses?

  4. Have you ever felt religious or ritualistic meaning in the act of drinking coffee?

  5. What part of coffee's history do you think the trend of specialty coffee and the third wave is connected to?

  6. If coffee had not existed, how do you think our society and culture would have changed?

Conceptual tensions
Luxury vsNecessity
Coffee was initially a precious luxury item but has now become a daily necessity. What influence did this transformation have on people's lives and economies?
Colonial History vsCultural Exchange History
Coffee's history has both the dark side of colonialism and the rich side of cultural exchange. Emphasizing one or the other changes the interpretation of history.
Global vsLocal
Coffee is a globally common beverage, yet in Japan it gave birth to a unique kissaten culture. How to grasp both sides of globalization and localization.
Ritual vsEveryday
The act of drinking coffee was once a special ritual but has now become a small daily habit. What is the meaning of this 'everyday-ization'?
Talk note

This theme repositions the small daily act of drinking coffee within the larger context of history, culture, and society. By knowing the origins, it is a space for dialogue to realize that daily coffee time is not merely a preference but is connected to human history of exchange and cultural transformation, fostering gratitude and curiosity. It is not about teaching the 'correct way to drink,' but the beginning of a journey to explore together 'where this habit came from.'

Glossary
Coffee Origin Legend
The legend that an Ethiopian shepherd named Kaldi discovered coffee when he saw his goats become excited after eating coffee cherries. It is widely told as the historical origin of coffee.
Coffeehouse
A social gathering place born in 17th-century London where people drank coffee while engaging in politics, culture, and business discussions. It is considered a prototype of the 'public sphere' that contributed to the formation of modern civil society.
Coffee Trade Routes
The trade network of coffee beans that spread from the Arabian Peninsula to Europe and then to Asia. Deeply tied to colonialism, it influenced the formation of the world economy.
Kissaten Culture
Japan's unique kissaten (cafe) culture. Introduced from the West in the Meiji period and developed uniquely after the war. Not merely coffee shops, but spaces for music, reading, and contemplation.
Coffee Ritual
The cultural and social meaning embedded in the series of acts of brewing, pouring, and drinking coffee. From Ethiopian traditions to modern latte art, it functions as a ritual.
Colonialism and Coffee
The history in which coffee production was tied to forced labor in colonies. Through plantation economies in Brazil and Indonesia, coffee became a symbol of the unequal structure of the world economy.
Talk prompts
Ice breaker

Please ask yourself: 'When do you think the habit of drinking coffee began?' Layer your own life history a little with coffee's history—what connections do you feel?

Deep dive

If you could time-travel to a 17th-century London coffeehouse, what kind of conversation would you like to have there? Please imagine the differences from modern cafes.

Bridge

When the other person is drinking coffee, lightly bring up the topic: 'I wonder where these coffee beans came from.' Sharing the origin or history naturally deepens the conversation.

Further questions
  • The relationship between coffee and religion (Islam and Christianity)
  • The uniqueness of Japan's kissaten culture and postwar history
  • Coffee bean producing regions and the modern significance of fair trade
  • The meaning of the ritualization of latte art and drinks
  • Coffee addiction and the psychology of luxury culture
  • The impact of climate change on coffee production and the future