Japan’s ‘Dashi Cafes’: Warm Umami Broth Becomes a Takeout Trend
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Across Japan, traditional dashi (clear umami broth) is being reimagined as a takeout beverage, drawing people who want a warm, calming alternative to coffee. Long a foundation of Japanese cuisine, dashi—made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito)—has evolved in cafés that serve it in cups and cans, with modern variations like tomato, cream, and miso. Historic shops such as Nihonbashi Dashiba (by 300-year-old katsuobushi maker Ninben) helped popularize the trend; Niigata’s ON THE UMAMI experiments with barista-style drip brewing, and Tokyo’s Miyabi Yuinojyu offers a minimalist, ingredient-focused “drinkable dashi.” The movement blends tradition with contemporary lifestyle needs—single-person households, demand for gentle comfort drinks, and interest in artisanal, traceable ingredients—and has sold over 1.07 million cups. The article suggests a parallel possibility in Korea, where diverse broths (e.g., anchovy, beef bone, dried pollack) could be modernized into convenient, comforting takeout drinks akin to Japan’s dashi cafés.
