#Japan #Tsukuba #Tsukuba University #Geisha coffee #Saza Coffee

Saza Coffee's 2026 New Spring Celebration: The Geisha Bean Throwing Festival in Tsukuba

On February 3, 2026, Saza Coffee held its renowned Geisha Bean Throwing and Coffee Bath Festival at the Tsukuba University Ariransa Store. The event is rooted in the Japanese tradition of Setsubun, symbolizing the expulsion of evil spirits and welcoming good fortune. Participants prayed for health and their dreams for the year ahead, embracing the philosophy of "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" (Demons out, luck in).

This year's celebration featured a generous 100 kg of aromatic Geisha coffee beans, cultivated on Saza Coffee's own farm in Colombia, known for its rich aroma. At approximately noon, about 70 enthusiastic attendees gathered to throw the coffee beans, engaging in a playful yet meaningful ritual.

Following the bean-throwing, the leftover beans were roasted again in Saza Coffee's roaster to ensure they were prepared for the second phase of the event: the coffee bath. Taking place in a local public bathhouse, around 100 people indulged in the invigorating aroma of the Geisha coffee bath. Saza Coffee also submitted the used coffee grounds to a strawberry farm as compost, linking the event to agricultural benefits.

The act of throwing roasted beans, believed to ward off evil, stems from traditional beliefs where sprouting raw beans were seen as bad luck. Participants described the coffee as a fragrant shield against negativity. Saza Coffee’s founder, Taro Suzuki, a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, passionately selects only the most aromatic beans from his Colombian farm. His obsession with quality showcases that the true essence of coffee lies within its scent, making this event an extension of that philosophy.

The festival attracted not only local participants but also many international students at Tsukuba University, who embraced this unique blend of Japanese culture and public bath traditions. The Geisha variety beans used were part of a larger harvest strategy that saw the farm yield around 5,000 kg last season. This event was also a celebration of Saza Coffee’s commitment to showcasing their agricultural prowess on a global stage.

After the bean throwing, the beans were ground to create an aromatic coffee bath. The bathhouse, used primarily by university students, has faced challenges due to decreasing attendance, but this event has breathed new life into its operations. Saza Coffee has been instrumental in collaborating with the university for projects in food processing, and founder Taro Suzuki actively participates in coffee research alongside Tsukuba students.

With around 8,000 liters of Geisha coffee brewed, the 'Coffee Bath Event' offered a unique experience to cap off the lively festivities. Participants could not only bathe in the aromatic water but also enjoy the health benefits associated with this ancient ritual of purification. The sacred grounds where the event took place were once used for ceremonial purposes to cleanse the spirits.

Despite whispers of the public bath's potential closure due to dwindling visitors since 2019, each year's 'Coffee Bath' remains a cherished tradition, with Taro Suzuki and his team dedicated to keeping the magic alive. As such, every participant engaged in a bout of playful coffee throwing, capping off their experience with a ritual bath, leaving all worries behind.

The event concluded on a high note, with Taro Suzuki expressing hopes to replicate the success of this year's festival annually. His commitment to producing high-quality, aromatic Geisha coffee from the Colombian farm continues, aspiring to share the rich heritage of this unique celebration with an ever-growing audience. As both an innovative coffee producer and a community builder, Saza Coffee stands as a beacon of cultural exchange and festive spirit.