Bridging Traditions and Trends: Thoughts from the Asian Coffee Road

I recently received a thoughtful comment on my LinkedIn post about my move to Tokyo and the Asian Coffee Road project.

It sparked such a meaningful reflection that I wanted to share my response here with you as well.

The comment asked:

“How do you envision bridging traditional coffee narratives with modern consumption trends in your Asian-focused research?”

Here’s how I responded—or more precisely, how I would like to respond, from the heart:

When we speak of tradition and trend, we’re often made to feel like we have to choose between the two. But in my experience—especially working across Ethiopia, Korea, Japan, and beyond—I find that meaningful innovation comes from holding both with care.

Rather than rushing to reinterpret old coffee stories to suit modern tastes, I believe we need to slow down and ask: what truths were embedded in those stories to begin with? What did people feel, value, resist, or cherish?

By tracing the journey of coffee from ancient rituals to hyper-modern cafés, I hope to illuminate how deeply this beverage is woven into our identities—not only as drinkers, but as storytellers, workers, farmers, and dreamers.

The Asian Coffee Road is not just about mapping consumption. It’s about expanding the lens: to show how East Asian perspectives—often overlooked in global coffee discourse—offer distinct sensibilities around care, craft, and time.

And in doing so, I hope to create a space where tradition and trend don’t compete, but collaborate.

Thank you to everyone who’s been walking with me, one thoughtful conversation at a time.

There’s much more to come from Tokyo.