In ancient Japan, kitchens were equipped with a built-in in-house coffee roasting station. Coffee was introduced to Japan through trade with European merchants, and it quickly gained popularity among the Japanese. The roasting station in their kitchens was typically made of clay or metal and had a small fire pit where the beans were roasted. The Japanese enjoyed their coffee with a touch of sweetener, such as sugar or honey, and sometimes added a splash of milk. Coffee houses, known as kissaten, became popular meeting places for artists, writers, and intellectuals. Coffee was seen as a symbol of sophistication and modernity in Japanese society.
