Discovery Series – Tokyo

The Discovery Series Tokyo is a mug for one of the world’s most fascinating cities. Originally known as Edo, Tokyo developed from a small fishing village into the political center of Japan after Tokugawa Ieyasu established his shogunate there in 1603. The city was renamed Tokyo, meaning “Eastern Capital,” when Emperor Meiji moved the imperial court there from Kyoto in 1868. Today, Tokyo is a vast metropolis where ancient temples, traditional customs, cutting-edge technology, and an enormous urban population exist side by side.

– Senso-ji Temple appears on the front of the mug as one of Tokyo’s most recognizable landmarks. Located in Asakusa, Senso-ji is Tokyo’s oldest temple, traditionally dated to the 7th century. Its distinctive Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate, is famous for the enormous red lantern hanging at its entrance. The temple remains one of the city’s most important places of worship and a major destination for visitors.

– Meiji Jingu Gaien is represented by the tree-lined avenue and the people jogging through it. The area is especially famous for its rows of ginkgo trees, which turn a brilliant yellow during autumn and attract large crowds every year. Located near the Meiji Shrine, Meiji Jingu Gaien is also known for its sports facilities and provides one of Tokyo’s most recognizable seasonal landscapes.

– The white dog near the front of the mug is a reference to Hachiko, perhaps Tokyo’s most famous dog. An Akita who lived in the 1920s, Hachiko continued to wait at Shibuya Station for his owner even after the professor’s death. His remarkable loyalty turned him into a national symbol, and the Hachiko Statue outside Shibuya Station remains one of Tokyo’s best-known meeting points.

– Tokyo Tower rises in the background behind the city. Completed in 1958 and inspired by the Eiffel Tower, it was originally built as a communications and broadcasting tower. Its distinctive red-and-white appearance has made it one of the most recognizable symbols of Tokyo, even after the newer Tokyo Skytree took over many broadcasting functions.

– Tokyo’s public transportation is represented by the train. The city’s railway and subway networks form the backbone of daily life, carrying enormous numbers of passengers between the different neighborhoods of the sprawling metropolis. For many visitors, the trains are also one of the first things they associate with Tokyo.

– Moving toward the back of the mug, the design features Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan. Completed in 2012, the tower reaches 2,080 feet and serves as a broadcasting tower as well as an observation point. It has become one of the defining features of Tokyo’s modern skyline.

– The back of the mug showcases the Starbucks Ginza Matsuya-dori Store. Located in Tokyo’s famous Ginza district, the store is part of an area known for luxury shopping, department stores, restaurants, and some of the city’s most recognizable commercial streets. It is a fitting detail for a Tokyo Starbucks mug, especially considering the important place Ginza holds in the history and modern identity of the city.

Local dishes to try when in Tokyo:

– The colorful shaved ice shown near the center of the design is kakigori, a popular Japanese dessert made from finely shaved ice covered with flavored syrups and other toppings. Although it can be enjoyed throughout the year, kakigori is particularly associated with Japan’s hot and humid summers.

– Another traditional sweet represented on the mug is anmitsu. This classic Japanese dessert typically combines agar jelly, sweet red bean paste, small rice flour dumplings, fruit, and kuromitsu, a dark brown sugar syrup. Served chilled, anmitsu has been enjoyed in Japan since the late 19th century and remains a familiar sight in traditional Japanese tea houses and dessert shops.