Cool Starbucks store - Fukuoka Ohori Park

Fukuoka Ohori Park

The Starbucks at Fukuoka Ohori Park is one of the concept stores in the Park as Ueno Onshi Park's and Toyama Kansui Park's. It is a good place for the people enjoying a day out in the park visit. Besides, Fukuoka Ohori Park has a jogging trail around the lake and this store is the oasis for the jogger. 

LEED certification

This Starbucks store is designed to reduce environmental impacts and it is the first store to be LEED registered in Japan. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design. 

It is constructed and designed to integrate into the existing landscape and to preserve surrounding trees. The design also minimizes energy and water consumption, incorporates locally-sourced and reused or recycled materials, and employs creative methods to inspire partners (employees) and customers to make environmentally responsible decisions in their daily lives. 

The wood materials are Kirishima cedar, grown locally in Kyushu. LED bulbs reduce energy consumption and the chairs previously used in other stores were reupholstered rather than sent to a landfill. The store's design helps to reduce environmental impacts whilst reflecting the character of its surrounding neighborhood. 

"Engawa" style roof overhangs

Louver screens and "engawa" style roof overhangs, as well as insulated exterior walls and window frames, are used to block the sun and reduce heating and cooling needs. The engawa is ancient wisdom of Japan and it was common in traditional Japanese home.

I think Engawa is not only kind of the ecology but the life style of Japanese. The seasons are closely connected even with contemporary Japanese life, and this sense of the seasons has had a great influence on Japanese lifestyles. I think it is the reason we love this atmosphere.

Cool Starbucks store - Ueno Onshi Park

Ueno Onshi Park

"Onshi" means "imperial gift" and Ueno Onshi Park was donated to Tokyo City by imperial grant. This well laid out park is home to five museums, a number of shrines and temples, a zoo, and a university. It is one of Tokyo’s great urban parks where you could spend several days experiencing all that is on offer.


Enjoy the park!

The site of current Ueno Onshi Park used to be the temple grounds of Kaneiji Temple during Edo period. You can see some historic buildings of this temple in this park. Enjoy some nature, pray at its temples, and late afternoon walks. The area around the pond to be particularly relaxing.

This Starbucks is located the center of Ueno Onshi Park and full of the people visiting the zoo or the museums in the park. Especially, the terrace chairs are highly recommended under the nice weather.

Sakura

Ueno Onshi Park is also famous Sakura (cherry blossom) viewing spots in Tokyo. The cherry blossoms can only be enjoyed for two weeks of the entire year, so Japanese people goes to view these flowers. When Tokyo is dyed in the color of cherry blossoms, people feel the transition to a warmer season inside their hearts. For that reason, Ueno park becomes very lively regardless of the time of day.

The Starbucks of Ueno Onshi Park is decorated with the cherry blossoms and offer the special menu of "Sakura". 

Cool Starbucks store - Izumo Taisya

Izumo Taisya

Izumo Taisha (Grand Shrine) is considered as one of the most ancient and important shrines in Japan. It is believed that the gods gather at Izumo Taisya in October to discuss the coming year's marriages, deaths, and births. Japanese call October kannazuki'' ("the month without gods"), but people of Izumo province call October kamiarizuki ("the month with gods").

Izumo Taisha

According to the Kojiki (the Legendary Stories of Old Japan) and the Nihon Shoki (the Chronicles of Japan), these being the two oldest books in Japan, it is dedicated to the god Okuni-nushi and was built for him in return for him giving up the land to the Yamato rulers who is ancestor of Tennou (Japanese Emperor).

The building is designated as a National Treasure. It is said to convey the shape of the houses of great noble families of ancient times. According to records, it is supposed that the main shrine was 48 m high when it was first built. In the year 2000, three logs of more than 1 m in diameter attached to each other were found near the main shrine. This discovery has attracted much attention, as it is believed that this structure was built with these three logs forming one pillar, thus indicating that there indeed used to be a huge main shrine here.

Around of Izumo Taisha

This area is steeped in mythology and folklore and since ancient times has been known as the Land of the Gods and as the birthplace of the Japanese spirit. Wherever you go in the region, be it deep into the mountains, to the friendly towns and villages or even the modern day cities, you are never far from an ancient shrine or temple which serves as a reminder that this is still very much the dwelling place of the Gods.

This Starbucks has also same atmosphere around the place. The window with a grille, the tile-roofed entrance and the interior woodwork, these are inspired by the old Japanese buildings. I recommend you to walk the back street of the neighborhood.

This Starbucks has the limited three mugs, which are handmade in the special gift boxes.  You may buy it as a souvenir. I think it is good design which has features of Japanese traditional art.