No Need to Fly to Kyoto for % Arabica: The Elephant Mountain Store Is Open

Have you heard of %Arabica coffee? Now you can get it right at Elephant Mountain! Coffee lovers, Japan aesthetic fans, and anyone into that artsy street style — are you ready? Since this hugely popular Kyoto-born café "%Arabica" announced on its official page that it would open a branch in Taiwan, plenty of fans have been eagerly waiting — no more trekking to Kyoto just for a cup of "%Arabica" coffee~ So where exactly is this café opening? No more teasing — after visiting the site in person, you'll probably recognize it right away: Taipei's first "%Arabica" location is opening right across from the "Elephant Mountain Trailhead" on Xiangshan (Four Beasts Mountain)! Tucked right beside the bustling Xinyi district, this spot has a delightful "quiet corner in the middle of the city" vibe! Let's look forward to %Arabica's grand opening together!

• %Arabica Taipei Elephant Mountain branch
• Address: near No. 22, Alley 150, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City 110 (approximate location), next to Jie Jie Ke, diagonally across from the Elephant Mountain trailhead
• Parking info: Liyang Parking Lot, Alley 150, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City 110, about a 2-minute walk to the café
• Parking rates: NT$10/30 min; night rate 22:00-06:00 NT$10/hour; NT$180 max for 12 hours
• %Arabica official website
• %Arabica Facebook
• %Arabica Taiwan

The day we visited the Elephant Mountain trailhead in person, drivers could park at the temporary surface lot on Section 5 of Xinyi Road, which holds about 20+ cars; those taking the MRT can exit Elephant Mountain Station Exit 2 and continue toward "Xiangshan Park," about a 10-minute walk. Sure enough, when we arrived, we saw construction crews at work, with a branded signboard already up outside reading "%Arabica COMING SOON"!!! That's right — it's really happening! The Elephant Mountain trail already draws huge crowds every weekend, with the famous "Six Giant Boulders" spot becoming a favorite for photos, and %Arabica's opening is sure to spark another wave of crowds.

%Arabica's Taipei location sits diagonally across from the Elephant Mountain trailhead. Photography enthusiasts often hike up Elephant Mountain for shots, and every year during the 101 fireworks countdown, crowds rush up early to claim a spot — the view of Xinyi district from Elephant Mountain's photography platform and fireworks viewing deck is genuinely stunning. Once %Arabica opens, it's sure to draw a whole new crowd up the mountain for a coffee break.

"%Arabica" was founded by Japanese entrepreneur Kenneth Shoji, with its first location opening in Hong Kong — where it didn't get much traction at first, but instead became a huge hit after gaining popularity back in Japan. Its most iconic location is the all-white little cabin next to Togetsukyo Bridge — the Kyoto Arashiyama branch — where lines have remained a common sight even throughout the pandemic. %Arabica's overall visual identity centers on a "pure white, minimalist" aesthetic, paired with warm wood tones and coffee-brown accents, giving it a refined, understated feel that instantly puts you at ease the moment you walk in. Its iconic "%" logo represents two coffee beans grown from a coffee tree — minimalist yet instantly recognizable, capturing the brand's spirit. This ties back to why Kenneth Shoji created %Arabica in the first place: the simple idea that everyone deserves a great cup of coffee every day — a philosophy that's grown into today's %Arabica coffee empire, hoping to see the whole world through the lens of coffee.

Looking at the official concept sketch for the Taipei %Arabica branch, you can see it stays true to the brand's core aesthetic — clean white paired with warm wood tones, plus the red brick walls of a traditional Taiwanese old building, creating a striking yet completely harmonious color contrast. Green plants accenting the top will naturally catch the eye of anyone walking by, and we're confident it'll become a hugely popular photo spot once it opens. When "%ARABICA" Taipei finally opens, be sure to visit and enjoy a truly wonderful cup of coffee.

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