Sip on Starbucks in a setting once linked to infectious diseases.

Whenever a historic building in a prime location in Japan needs a commercial tenant, there’s a good chance Starbucks will come knocking. With a solid track record of taking up residence in some of the country’s most unique and culturally important properties, the coffee chain has shown it knows how to adapt its brand to blend seamlessly into its surroundings, respecting historic features while enhancing the original character of a building.

So when the Yokohama city government sought applicants to occupy the former No. 1 Building of the Nagahama Quarantine Station, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, it wasn’t too much of a surprise to hear that Starbucks was chosen to be its new custodian. What was a surprise, though, was the history of the charming, Western-style building, which dates back to 1895, when it was originally built as a waiting facility for passengers undergoing quarantine inspections after arriving by ship.

During this era, the port city of Yokohama was Japan’s main international entry point, and the quarantine station played an important role in preventing infectious diseases from entering the country via overseas ships. Though the building was damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, it was restored the following year, and recently relocated to a site within Umi no Koen (Sea Park), after extensive preservation work.

▼ Umi no Koen is roughly an hour by train from Tokyo.


Now the historic building is opening the door to a new chapter, with one half becoming a Starbucks cafe, and the other half being used as an exhibition space run by Yokohama City and Umi no Koen’s management. Through historical displays and community events, the exhibition wing aims to preserve and share the story of the former quarantine station with visitors.

▼ Left: Starbucks Bar Counter (バーカウンター) and Cafe (カフェ); Right: Exhibition Room (展示室), Rest Area (休憩室), and entrance (入口).

Rather than modernising the interior, Starbucks says it has retained many of the building’s original features. Original wallpaper from the Taishō era (1912–1926) has been preserved where possible, while bentwood chairs and other carefully selected furnishings complement the architecture, creating a space that feels more like a heritage lounge than a typical coffee shop.

▼ The planned interior for the cafe.

From its location inside Umi no Koen, the store boasts a scenic waterfront setting that’s especially popular during summer, making it an appealing stop for visitors looking to combine sightseeing, seaside strolls and a coffee break away from central Tokyo.

This location is the latest in a growing list of new openings for Starbucks, which includes the recently opened Yanaka branch in Tokyo, the teahouse in Kyoto’s oldest public park, and even the branch on a Shinkansen platform in Yokohama. We can’t wait to see how Starbucks blends its modern stylings into the historic character of this building when it opens to the public on 10 August.

Store information
Starbucks Coffee Yokohama Umi no Koen Store / スターバックス コーヒー 横浜海の公園店
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Kanazawa-ku, 10 Umi no Koen, Nagahama Quarantine Station, Former No. 1 Building
神奈川県横浜市金沢区海の公園10番地 旧長濱検疫所一号停留所
Open: 8 a.m.–9 p.m. (May–Oct); 8 a.m.–7 p.m. (Nov–April)

Source: Press release
Featured image: Yokohama City
Insert images: Yokohama City (1, 2)
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