Okinawa Pref. Farm Produces Domestic Coffee Beans; Ishigaki Growing Japan-Made Arabica Beans

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:47 JST, December 30, 2024

ISHIGAKI, Okinawa — Coffee beans on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture, are ripe, red and ready for harvest.

The island is located south of the 25th parallel north, well inside the so-called coffee belt, where conditions are suitable for growing coffee beans. Allamanda Farm Ishigaki Island, an approximately 1.2-hectare farm that has been growing about 4,500 arabica coffee bean plants for three years, produces domestic coffee beans, a rarity for Japan, and is making various improvements to its product.

Harvesting will continue through February next year.

“I’d like to deliver fresh and delicious coffee so that many people will feel happy and delighted,” said Tatsuya Kato, 63, who runs the farm.