One of the fun parts of the Expo is trying coffee from different countries’ pavilions. Quite a few countries serve coffee at their cafes or TO-GO counters — for example, Brazil, Jordan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Belgium, Tunisia, Malaysia, Burundi, Uganda, and more! I found a great “Expo Coffee Map” created by the amazing @t_tsuji, which was super helpful.
This time, I tried coffee at Oman Pavilion. The entire pavilion was bright red — a striking contrast against the perfectly clear blue sky that day! Honestly, it was almost too intense under the sun :p
You can enter the To-Go and souvenir area from the left side of the line. It’s located a bit in the back, and very few people seem to visit just for takeout, so if it’s hard to find, don’t hesitate to ask. There are two counters — the one closer to the outside is for pickup.
The order counter is further inside. While Expo 2025 is mostly cashless, many places only accept credit cards or transit IC cards. However, Oman’s pavilion is fully equipped — even services like PayPay are accepted. That said, I’ve definitely learned that inserting a credit card (chip) is not great for security. Having to enter your PIN in crowded areas isn’t ideal…
Here’s the menu — they offer coffee, tea, and sweets (mainly baked goods).
I ordered the iced Kahwa (800 yen). It was a light, refreshing coffee — perfect for the heat. Still, it didn’t feel lacking thanks to the subtle spices like cardamom and cloves, which added depth and flavor.
I tried adding milk partway through, and with all those spices, it basically turned into a coffee version of chai. By the way, this is what the seating area looks like — it’s outdoors, and you just find a spot and sit down. Some media outlets called it a “café”, but that feels like a stretch.
ちなみにこんな感じで座る場所もう用意されてるように見えますけど、ここはボードゲームをする場所だそうです。It looks like there are seats set up, but actually, those are for playing board games!
While watching an endless stream of bubbles float by, I sat in the shade to cool off. There was a nice breeze, and it was surprisingly pleasant.
I was a bit tired and didn’t buy it in the end, but now I kind of regret not getting that cute pin badge.
