Instant Coffee Day (Insutanto Kōhī no Hi)

What Is Instant Coffee Day?

Every August 11th is "Instant Coffee Day" (Insutanto Kōhī no Hi). It comes from August 11, 1960, when confectionery maker Morinaga released an instant coffee in Japan. Sold as a domestically produced instant coffee with the catchphrase "In just... 5 seconds," it spread into ordinary homes and helped make coffee that only needs hot water a part of everyday life in Japan.

The Story of Instant Coffee

Instant coffee reached its current form through the ingenuity of many people.

• The first attempt: A water-soluble instant coffee is said to have been invented in Britain in 1771, but it had a short shelf life and did not catch on.
• Japanese scientist Satori Kato: In 1899, Satori Kato, a Japanese scientist living in Chicago, developed a technique for vacuum-drying coffee extract while researching instant green tea. He presented it as "soluble coffee" at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in 1901 and obtained a U.S. patent in 1903, but it is said never to have been commercialized. That U.S. patent was issued on August 11, 1903 -- by coincidence, the same date as Instant Coffee Day.
• Going mainstream: In 1906, George Washington in the United States patented a production method and succeeded in selling it as "Red E Coffee." In 1938, Nestlé launched "Nescafé," an instant coffee made by spray-drying, which became synonymous with instant coffee.

How It Spread in Japan

Records show that imports to Japan began in 1914, but instant coffee did not catch on at the time. Imports resumed in the 1950s after World War II, and when Morinaga began producing and selling it domestically in 1960, other brands soon followed.

Instant Coffee Trivia

• Spray-drying: Coffee extract is sprayed into a hot drying chamber and dried in an instant. The powder dissolves easily even in cold water and is well suited to mass production.
• Freeze-drying: Coffee extract is frozen at minus 40°C or below, crushed, and dried under vacuum. Introduced in the United States in the 1960s, it better preserves aroma, but because it takes more effort, it tends to cost more.
• What counts as "instant": Under Japan's industry fair competition code, instant coffee is defined as water-soluble coffee made by drying extract from roasted coffee beans. So products that wrap finely ground beans inside the granules are treated separately, even though you also just add hot water.
• A secret ingredient: A small amount can be added to curry or demi-glace sauce for extra depth and roasted aroma.
• Storage tip: Instant coffee contains very little moisture and absorbs humidity easily, so close the lid right after use.

How to Spend Instant Coffee Day

• Savor your usual instant coffee slowly in a favorite cup
• Dissolve it in a little hot water, then add ice for iced coffee
• Compare spray-dried and freeze-dried products
• Try variations with milk or cinnamon

Over 120 Years of Ingenuity in a Cup That Only Needs Hot Water

Behind convenient instant coffee lies the ingenuity of many people, including Dr. Satori Kato. August 11th is a day to enjoy a cup during a work break while thinking about that history.