There is only one Bear Pond but there are thousands of coffee shops scattered across Japan. Bear Pond espresso is a one of a kind, and draws coffee lovers from all over the globe. Owner Katsuyuki Tanaka is the boss when it comes to making espresso, and its his own techniques which he studies and evolves after extensive experimentation. He is the rule maker and no espresso is served after 14h00, and strictly no photography is allowed in the shop, or you’ll run into trouble.

Tanaka spent two decades in New York City and later left his management position at FedEx to follow his dreams. In 2009 he embarked on his own coffee odyssey and moved back to Tokyo to open Bear Pond Espresso with his wife.

His ice coffee is the best I’ve ever tasted and his ice is carefully prepared as you can see. At Bear Pond there is no compromise and quality and innovation are paralleled by his skill in creating a coffee with balanced taste.

http://www.bear-pond.com/