By Anita , April 1, 2025
In the heart of Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya district, a small café has been quietly revolutionizing the way we experience coffee. Henn na Café, translating to “Strange Café” in Japanese, is not your typical coffee shop. Here, a robotic barista named Sawyer grinds beans, brews coffee, and serves customers with mechanical precision—all without the need for a human touch. Launched in February 2018 by H.I.S. Co., Ltd., a Japanese travel and hospitality giant, Henn na Café represents a bold fusion of technology and tradition, reflecting Japan’s knack for blending the futuristic with the everyday. This report dives into the origins, operations, and impact of Henn na Café, alongside a detailed look at its parent company, H.I.S., offering a full picture of this robotic marvel for Solsaga.in readers.
Henn na Café: The Concept
Henn na Café opened its doors on February 2, 2018, in the Shibuya Modi department store, a prime location in one of Tokyo’s trendiest neighborhoods. The café’s star attraction is Sawyer, a single-armed robot developed by Rethink Robotics, designed to handle the entire coffee-making process. Customers order via a touchscreen vending machine, receive a QR-coded ticket, and watch as Sawyer scans it, grinds fresh beans, filters the coffee, and pours hot water—all in a matter of minutes. Priced at just 320 yen (approximately $3 USD in 2018), a cup of brewed coffee is both affordable and a spectacle, with Sawyer capable of serving up to five drinks simultaneously. The menu extends beyond drip coffee to include espresso-based drinks (via a Melitta Cafina XT4 machine), cappuccinos, hot chocolates, and green tea lattes, showcasing versatility in a compact, automated setup.
The café’s ethos aligns with its name—deliberately “strange” yet captivating. It’s a proof-of-concept for automation in hospitality, aiming to boost efficiency while entertaining customers. H.I.S. envisioned it as an extension of their broader “Henn na” brand, which began with the world’s first robot-staffed hotel in Nagasaki. By 2025, Henn na Café remains a standout example of Japan’s leadership in robotic service innovation.
The Founder: H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
Henn na Café is the brainchild of H.I.S. Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based travel agency turned multifaceted hospitality and tech pioneer. Founded in 1980 by Hideo Sawada, H.I.S. started as a budget travel operator, capitalizing on Japan’s growing appetite for international exploration post-economic boom. Sawada, a visionary entrepreneur born in 1951 in Osaka, built H.I.S. from a small office into one of Japan’s largest travel companies, known for affordable airfares and innovative tourism offerings.
- Founding Details:
- Date: December 19, 1980
- Original Name: International Tours Co., Ltd. (renamed H.I.S. in 1990)
- Headquarters: Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, Tokyo, Japan
- Founder: Hideo Sawada
- Initial Focus: Low-cost international travel packages
- Growth Trajectory:
By the 1990s, H.I.S. had expanded globally, opening offices in cities like New York, London, and Sydney. The company went public in 2004 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 9603), cementing its status as a industry leader. Today, it employs over 10,000 people worldwide and operates in more than 130 cities across 66 countries. - Diversification:
Beyond travel, H.I.S. ventured into hospitality, energy, and technology. The Henn na brand—starting with Henn na Hotel in 2015—marked its bold entry into robotics, aiming to address labor shortages and rising costs in Japan’s service sector. Henn na Café followed as a natural evolution, testing the waters for automated retail.
Company Details (H.I.S. Co., Ltd.)
- Leadership:
- Chairman & Founder: Hideo Sawada
- President & CEO: Motoshi Yada (as of recent updates)
- Financial Snapshot:
- Revenue (Pre-Pandemic, FY 2019): ¥808.7 billion (approx. $7.4 billion USD)
- Net Income (FY 2019): ¥12.2 billion (approx. $112 million USD)
- Note: The COVID-19 pandemic hit H.I.S. hard, with travel restrictions slashing revenue. By 2023, recovery efforts showed promise, though exact 2025 figures are unavailable as of this report’s date.
- Business Segments:
- Travel Agency: Core operations, including outbound and inbound tourism.
- Hotel Operations: Over 15 Henn na Hotels across Japan, plus traditional properties.
- Theme Parks: Ownership of Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki, where the first Henn na Hotel debuted.
- Energy: Investments in renewable energy, including solar and biomass.
- Robotics & Innovation: Henn na brand, including café and hotel automation.
- Vision:
H.I.S. aims to “create new value through change,” a philosophy embodied by Henn na Café. Sawada has emphasized technology as a solution to Japan’s aging workforce and high labor costs, positioning H.I.S. as a forward-thinking player in a competitive market.
Henn na Café’s Operations and Impact
- Technology Partners:
- Rethink Robotics: Provided Sawyer, a collaborative robot (cobot) known for precision and adaptability.
- Melitta Japan: Supplied the Poursteady pour-over machine and Cafina XT4 espresso unit, ensuring coffee quality matches the automation hype.
- Customer Experience:
Henn na Café blends novelty with practicality. Sawyer’s cartoon-eyed screen greets patrons with phrases like, “Would you care for a delicious coffee?”—a quirky touch that softens the robotic interaction. Social media buzz, especially on platforms like TikTok and X, has fueled its popularity, with videos of Sawyer’s mechanical dance garnering millions of views by 2019. Customers praise the consistency and speed (a cup in under four minutes), though some note the latte art lacks the finesse of human baristas. - Economic Impact:
The café requires just one human supervisor, slashing labor costs compared to traditional coffee shops needing multiple staff. H.I.S. reported early success, with plans in 2018 to expand the concept nationwide if the Shibuya pilot thrived. While no widespread chain emerged by 2025, the café remains a flagship for the Henn na brand, drawing tourists and tech enthusiasts alike. - Cultural Reception:
Japan’s coffee culture, rooted in precision and modernity, embraced Henn na Café as a natural progression. Yet, it’s not without critique. Traditionalists argue it lacks the soul of a handcrafted brew, and baristas fear job displacement—a tension H.I.S. counters by highlighting new roles in maintenance and tech development.
Challenges and Lessons
- Technical Hiccups:
Early reviews noted occasional breakdowns, a reminder that robotics, while efficient, demands robust upkeep. H.I.S. learned this the hard way with Henn na Hotel, which “fired” half its robot staff in 2019 after guest complaints about malfunctions. - Market Fit:
While a hit in tech-savvy Shibuya, scaling Henn na Café to less urban areas or abroad remains untested. Cultural preferences for human interaction could limit its global appeal. - Pandemic Fallout:
The travel industry’s 2020-2022 slump likely stalled H.I.S.’s expansion plans, though Henn na Café’s low-overhead model may have cushioned the blow compared to labor-heavy ventures.
Recent Results and Future Outlook
As of April 1, 2025, Henn na Café continues to operate in Shibuya, a testament to its enduring appeal. H.I.S. hasn’t released specific 2024-2025 financials for the café, but the company’s broader recovery—bolstered by Japan’s tourism rebound post-COVID—suggests stability. The Henn na brand, including the café, remains a niche but symbolic part of H.I.S.’s portfolio, with potential for growth as robotics advance and labor costs rise. Rumors of a second location or international debut persist, though no official announcements have surfaced by this date.
Henn na Café is more than a coffee shop—it’s a window into Japan’s tech-driven future. Under H.I.S. and Hideo Sawada’s stewardship, it showcases how automation can reshape retail, blending efficiency with entertainment. For Solsaga.in readers, it’s a story of innovation, resilience, and the delicate dance between tradition and progress. Whether you’re sipping a robot-brewed latte in Shibuya or pondering the rise of AI baristas, Henn na Café proves that in Japan, even a cup of coffee can be a strange, delightful adventure.
Quick Facts Box for Solsaga.in
- Name: Henn na Café
- Location: Shibuya Modi, 1 Chome-21-3 Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo
- Opened: February 2, 2018
- Parent Company: H.I.S. Co., Ltd.
- Founder: Hideo Sawada
- Key Tech: Sawyer robot, Melitta Poursteady & Cafina XT4
- Price Point: ¥320 ($3 USD in 2018) per brewed coffee
- Status (April 2025): Operational, with potential for expansion
