What Is Kopi Jos? Discover Yogyakarta’s Most Unique Coffee Experience

4th August, 2025

I heard there’s a unique coffee in Yogyakarta called Kopi Jos…

Yes, around Malioboro Street in Yogyakarta, it’s a popular tourist activity to enjoy a chat while drinking Kopi Jos.

In this article, I will introduce Kopi Jos in detail.

Coffee with Charcoal? What is Kopi Jos?

“Kopi Jos” is a specialty of Yogyakarta, a unique drink characterized by its distinctive taste, made by mixing coffee with sugar and a piece of burning charcoal.

This coffee has a long history, said to have originated from coffee beans grown on the island of Java. The word “Jos” in its name means “hot” in Javanese.

“Kopi Jos” creates its unique flavor by first mixing sugar and coffee grounds, heating them with a piece of burning charcoal, and then adding it to the coffee. The burnt charcoal adds a deep flavor and a unique smoky aroma to the coffee.

This coffee is served in many cafes in Yogyakarta city and is popular among the locals. It is also believed to have a digestive benefit as roasting the coffee beans releases oxygen from the charcoal.

Eating charcoal can provide various benefits. The secret lies in charcoal’s high adsorption capacity. When eaten, it adsorbs harmful substances in the body and helps to expel them. It is said to be effective for detox, dieting, and even beauty.

By the way, not just any charcoal can be used for Kopi Jos. One of the charcoals that can be used for Kopi Jos in Yogyakarta is made from the wood of the Sambi tree, which is found in Kalimantan.

With its unique taste, “Kopi Jos” is worth trying at least once. I highly recommend giving it a try when you visit Yogyakarta.

Here is a cleaner Kopi Jos area near the station ↓↓↓

Here is the most bustling, sit-on-the-ground type Kopi Jos area ↓↓↓
This shop was also featured on a certain Japanese TV program.

Here you can drink a cup for about IDR 5,000.

Is It Safe to Ingest Charcoal?

Is it safe to eat charcoal?: Charcoal is designated as an “Existing Additive” (revised September 11, 2007), a natural additive that has been used for many years, among the food additives stipulated by the Food Sanitation Act, so there is no problem.
Does charcoal powder or ash have any adverse effects on the human body, like asbestos?: Both charcoal and wood ash are designated as “Existing Additives” (revised September 11, 2007), natural additives that have been used for many years, among the food additives stipulated by the Food Sanitation Act. You can use them with peace of mind.

Health Benefits of Charcoal

In the past, when there were no chemicals, people had a habit of drinking powdered charcoal when they had an upset stomach, and it is still used in emergency medical care for cases like accidental ingestion as a medical or Japanese pharmacopoeial prescription. Since charcoal is made by burning wood at high temperatures, most harmful substances are combusted, but trace elements such as germanium and magnesium remain after burning and work beneficially in the human body.

【 SUMI SLIM 】炭ダイエットサプリメントチャコールクレンズサプリ国産炭＋乳酸菌スミスリム３０日分

ＰＲＯＳＴＡＧＥ

¥798 （2025/07/22 15:23時点 | Amazon調べ）

Amazon

楽天市場

Yahooショッピング

メルカリ

ポチップ

The action of edible charcoal is not limited to adsorbing and expelling toxic substances; it also removes active oxygen, which causes aging and lifestyle-related diseases, and adsorbs and expels not only harmful substances but also fats and sugars, and seems to be effective for dieting.

By taking edible activated charcoal, it is said that you can expect a detoxifying effect that adsorbs waste products and harmful minerals that are no longer needed in the body and expels them from the body.