TOKYO café brings specialty brew to Saipan

Takakazu Saishu-Castro opened TOKYO café in September 2022 to finally bring what he describes as Japanese specialty coffee to Saipan’s coffee connoisseurs.

He said people on island usually only think of coffee as dark with a mild bitter taste but specialty coffee has so much flavors.

“Coffee beans come from a fruit and is actually a cherry so naturally it should’ve a fruity taste like berries and sometimes like honey and orange. It’s just the roasting that makes it acidic and bitter,” he said.

Just some of the myriad of hot coffee flavors Saishu-Castro and his staff offer at TOKYO café include, French Press, Americano, Caffe Latte, Cappuccino, Soy/Oat Latte, Honey Latte, and everyone’s favorite, Caramel Macchiato.

“Coffee has so many flavor profiles—chocolate, nutty, floral, honey, orange, berry… a lot. And there’s the usual dark roast like the chocolate and nuts and the light roast like the flower, honey, blueberry, lychee, and honey,” he said.

Aside from hot coffee, they also serve an assortment of specialty hot tea, iced coffee, iced tea latte, and their quirky shake with ice cream. Saishu-Castro thinks that they’re one of the only establishments on island that sells the latter.

As for snacks, TOKYO café offers two kinds of sandwiches—the always reliable ham & cheese and the surprisingly delectable salmon, tuna, and potato—as well as a variety of vegetarian plant-based pastries like scones and cookies.

Saishu-Castro, who worked as a barista, trainer, and manager of a coffee shop in Tokyo for more than 10 years before moving to the CNMI, said their location at the covered parking lot of Marianas Business Plaza has also attracted its fair share of local customers.

“Local customers are slowly getting to know TOKYO café, but we need more tourist customers,” said the Chiba, Japan native.

TOKYO café offers al fresco dining for 15 customers and also has a loyalty stamp card (nine stamps gives you a free cup). It also imports seasonal “guest beans” from Japan to allow customers to sample their new brew.

They’re open Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 8:30am to 2pm and closed on Sunday and holidays. For more information, call (670) 286-7763. TOKYO café is also on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.