Tag: Japan

Discovery Series – Nara

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The Starbucks Discovery Series Nara mug takes us to one of Japan’s most historically important places. Nara became the country’s first permanent capital in 710, beginning the Nara Period, when Buddhism, art, and architecture flourished under imperial patronage. Although the capital later moved away, Nara preserved an extraordinary concentration of ancient temples, shrines, sacred forests, and traditional culture. Today, the city is perhaps best known for the deer roaming freely around Nara Park and the enormous Great Buddha of Tōdaiji.

Here are some of the landmarks, foods, traditions, and symbols featured in the design:

– The deer of Nara Park are probably the city’s most recognizable symbol, and naturally they appear several times across the mug.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Nagano

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The Starbucks Discovery Series Nagano mug highlights one of Japan’s most mountainous prefectures, known for alpine scenery, historic towns, winter sports, hot springs, and local foods. Nagano hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and remains a major destination for skiing and snowboarding, while places such as Matsumoto, Hakuba, Kamikochi, and the Japanese Alps give the prefecture a strong outdoor identity. Historic castles, orchards, mountain wildlife, and traditional cuisine add a very different side to the region beyond the ski resorts.

Here are some of the landmarks, foods, activities, and symbols featured in the design:

– The bowl of soba noodles is a natural choice for Nagano, where buckwheat noodles are one of the best-known regional foods.… Read more

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You Are Here Ornament – Tokyo

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People who have followed my blog from the very beginning might remember this post from 2019, when I was excited to review what appeared to be a new mug from Japan, only to realize that it was an unreleased prototype. It was especially disappointing because Japan never received any city-specific You Are Here releases. The only YAH items released there were the mini set of five country mugs and ornaments: one regular version and four seasonal editions, one for each time of the year.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Kyoto

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The Starbucks Discovery Series Kyoto mug explores a city that served as Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years, from 794 until the emperor moved to Tokyo in 1869. Over the centuries, Kyoto became one of the country’s most important centers of religion, art, traditional crafts, and court culture. Much of that heritage survived the rapid modernization experienced elsewhere in Japan, leaving the city with an extraordinary concentration of temples, historic neighborhoods, gardens, and traditional wooden houses.

– The traditional building above the city name is the Starbucks Coffee Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya, one of the most distinctive Starbucks stores in Japan.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Kobe

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The Starbucks Discovery Series Kobe mug focuses on the port city’s distinctive mix of maritime scenery, Western influence, music, food, and hillside neighborhoods. Kobe developed rapidly after its port opened to foreign trade in 1868, and the arrival of merchants and residents from overseas left a lasting mark on the city’s architecture and culture. That history is especially visible in areas such as Kitano, while the harbor, Mount Rokko, and the city’s strong food and music traditions continue to shape Kobe’s identity today.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Hokkaido

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The Starbucks Discovery Series Hokkaido mug explores Japan’s northernmost main island, a region known for long snowy winters, mountains, wildlife, agriculture, and distinctive local traditions. Hokkaido was historically inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people and was known as Ezo before receiving its present name in 1869, during a period of rapid Japanese settlement and development. Today, its relatively cool climate and wide-open landscapes distinguish it from much of the rest of Japan, while winter sports, seafood, and spectacular natural scenery attract visitors throughout the year.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Hiroshima

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The Discovery Series Hiroshima mug tells the story of a city with a long history and a powerful modern identity. Hiroshima was founded as a castle town in 1589, when Mori Terumoto began construction of Hiroshima Castle. The city later developed into an important regional center, but its history changed forever on August 6, 1945, when an atomic bomb destroyed much of Hiroshima. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and the city was formally reshaped as a peace memorial city under a special law enacted in 1949.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Tokyo

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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.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Japan

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The Discovery Series Japan mug marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Starbucks collectables from this beautiful country. Let me remind you that the previous collection featured no fewer than five variations of the Japan mug: the regular edition along with special releases for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, each showcasing seasonal artwork while keeping the same overall concept. It will be interesting to see whether Starbucks follows the same approach with the Discovery Series. Personally, I would love to see the beautiful sakura tree on the front of this mug transform throughout the seasons, changing from delicate pink blossoms in spring to lush greenery in summer, vibrant autumn colors, and a snow-covered landscape in winter.… Read more

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Been There – Kumamoto

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Been There – Kumamoto seems to be the last mug from Japan that was missing on the site. It was released four years ago, so I am happy to finally add it.

Kumamoto, located on Japan’s Kyushu island, has a rich and resilient history centred around its iconic Kumamoto Castle. Built in the early 1600s by the feudal lord Kato Kiyomasa, the castle became a symbol of military strength and architectural ingenuity, featuring complex defensive designs. During the late Edo period, Kumamoto served as a key stronghold for the Hosokawa clan, who governed the region for over 200 years.… Read more

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