Since then, a boom in artisanal coffee culture triggered a kind of arms race in which various trendy descriptors overwhelm the humble coffee beans: organic, fair-trade, shade-grown, locally roasted, etc.

WSJ: From Patents to Memberships, Coffee Shops Offer New Perks

Shoppers could spend a fortune on the finest shade-grown green tea from Fukuoka and seasonally-themed wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), or simply roam the maze of shops for a feast of the visual variety.

BBC: The depachika of Tokyo