[QUOTE=freecia;31278841]I thought you were poking fun at Saitama but these look really good.

Yeah, what started off as a tongue in cheek response surprised me as well.

Three of my favorite local (Ebisu/Shibuya/Omotesando) cafe / coffee shops.

Nishiya https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13160517/
Sarutahiko https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13127577/
Tsuta https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1306/A130602/13007497/

[QUOTE= On the other hand, drip coffees and iced coffees I find to be pretty high-quality most everywhere including konbinis and Doutor's.[/QUOTE]

Yes, Japan has had high-quality coffee for a long time. When I came back to the States from Japan after living there in the 1970s, I realized how bad (weak and acidic) most commercial grades of American coffee were at the time. I was delighted to find coffee specialty shops like Starbucks and Peet's when I moved to the West Coast a few years later.

This has certainly focused on the coffee places.

I would wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation for Turret coffee in Tsukiji area. They intermittently have a pop up shop in the Ginza area as well.

In the Shibuya area there is Chatei Hatou where they are very serious about pour overs. They will even do a pour over equivalent of espresso but it'll take 10-15 minutes. They do allow smoking in there as well.

The folks who used to do Omotesando Koffee have a newer place open, Koffee Mameya, but it is not a sit around with coffee sort of place. I think they are more geared to selling beans

Paging Q Shoe Guy!

There's an old-fashioned two story coffee house place adjacent to (and even sort of part of) Piss Alley, right next to Shinjuku station I forgot the name of the place but it would definitely meet the requirement.

Exit JR Shinjuku station from the west exit, go upstairs to street level and turn right upon exit. Walk about 200m and turn right at a sidewalk just past Uniqlo. You'll see the place on the left in about 20m.

It sounds like Tajimaya Coffee-ten (但馬屋珈琲店). It has a few outlets in Shinjuku and Kichijōji.

There are hidden gem coffee shops in Nakameguro- such a lovely neighbourhood. you'll find great coffee, great walking, and neat stores.
% coffee i've been seeing more of, but if I recall, more so out of Tokyo.

That is like stirring the dead !

I went to a new place beside the IVY Hall in Minami Aoyama . Seemed like all the other "speciality" places, (concrete, wood, glass) interior. Coffee focused on getting you spend for super premium brands (Panama Geisha, ) some super Brazil beans etc. Most who seem to pop in are Ao-Uni students buying the cup of Joe or on tap nitro-brew thing ! I was surprised not to see some tapioca coffee jelly drink. It was OK until I found out that the owner of the soon to be chain is Maruhan of pachinko fame !

I went to a place called Cafe Obscura or Oscura or something in Sangenchaya.
I've had outstanding espresso drink elsewhere in Sangenjaya (can't remember where), but it wasn't this place.
This place is rated highly, that's why I decide to check it out. They have a lady sitting facing customers making coffee like it's science experiment by brewing coffee in round flasks. They roast their own coffee, and it's clear they take their coffee very seriously here. The coffee was a bit on the bitter/sour side for me, though. If you like bitter coffee, you might like this place.

Good coffee will do that to ya!

I love the sign outside that says "We only sell coffee". No pastries, no food, no shenanigan drinks, no "third space", no wi-fi.