Tokunoshima coffee moves toward mainstream specialty market

Coffee grown on Tokunoshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, for 44 years is transitioning from a niche souvenir to a mainstream specialty product. Following a production support project involving Isen Town, Marubeni, and Ajinomoto AGF, the initiative has evolved into the Tokunoshima Coffee Island Project.

In a move to establish the beans as a high-quality choice based on flavor rather than novelty, Little Darling Coffee Roasters in Minami-Aoyama will begin serving the beans. Additionally, the fourth installment of the ECHO COFFEE series by FARMER YOU, titled ‘ECHO COFFEE TOKUNOSHIMA’, is scheduled for release on September 1, 2026. The coffee is described as having sweetness reminiscent of brown sugar and tropical fruit notes.