Starbucks Japan launches Christmas 2025 goods with its first candle collection

Christmas shopping begins tonight with a new scent collection

Starbucks Japan's Christmas 2025 merchandise goes on sale online at 8 p.m. on October 31, Japan Standard Time, before reaching stores nationwide on November 1. The release introduces a new category for the Japanese market: three Starbucks Moment candles inspired by familiar tea and coffee aromas.

The candles, named Joy, Refresh and Relax, draw respectively on Joyful Medley tea, Yuzu Citrus & Tea, and Coffee & Spice. They join a collection of festive drinkware, stationery, gift cards, ornaments and plush Bearista characters. Reds and warm metallic accents run through the main range, with gingerbread designs and the brand's bear characters adding playful details.

Starbucks has put together a tighter drinkware selection than in previous years, while cards and paper goods outnumber cups and mugs. The mix gives shoppers choices ranging from a reusable cup for everyday use to small gifts that can be mailed or paired with a drink voucher.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is introducing a separate Holiday Showtime collection. Its gold and velvet navy palette takes inspiration from stage lights and theater curtains, offering a more understated alternative to the bright reds of the nationwide range.

November 1 also marks the arrival of Japan's holiday drinks, replacing the Halloween menu. Strawberry versions of Joyful Medley tea lead the seasonal additions, alongside the returning Joyful Medley Tea Latte and Gingerbread Latte. The merchandise and drinks share flavors, colors and motifs, connecting the cafe launch with items customers can take home.

The start of the holiday season typically brings long lines, fast online sellouts and social media posts celebrating the first red cup of the year. Online traffic can rise sharply at the evening release, while popular goods, particularly novelty items and seasonal colors watched by collectors, can disappear from stores during the first days.

Three candles turn familiar drinks into home fragrances

The Starbucks Moment collection translates the comfort of a warm drink into scents for the home. Each candle follows a different beverage profile, giving the new range a connection to tea and coffee rather than a single Christmas fragrance.

Joy takes its inspiration from Joyful Medley, the tea blend that anchors Starbucks Japan's holiday season. The blend combines oolong and jasmine with fruit notes such as apricot. This year's tea also includes mirabelle plum for added depth.

The Joy candle carries that idea into a bright, lightly floral fragrance with soft stone fruit notes. Its celebratory character is intended to suit evenings when lights are on and people gather, extending the feeling of the seasonal tea beyond the cup.

Refresh draws on Yuzu Citrus & Tea. Yuzu is a citrus fruit widely used in Japanese winter cooking and bath rituals. Here, its lively citrus note is paired with gentle tea aromas for a clean, crisp fragrance.

The airy character of Refresh makes it a choice for daytime use or a kitchen where a zesty scent is welcome. It gives the collection a lighter option alongside the warmer coffee fragrance.

Relax, inspired by Coffee & Spice, is the warmest of the three. Coffee aromas combine with baking spice, recalling the smells associated with gingerbread and holiday loaves. The profile suits a quiet afternoon at home or reading late at night, and complements the return of spiced coffee drinks.

Starbucks has long concentrated on mugs and tumblers, so candles broaden what customers can bring home. The move reflects interest in home fragrance during winter. Tea and coffee scents can feel cozy without being heavy, a useful quality in apartments and small rooms where a lighter fragrance is preferable.

The candle jars also serve as small decorative pieces. Placed alongside red cup collectibles, they connect the new home fragrance category with the seasonal objects customers already collect.

A smaller drinkware range puts individual designs in focus

The main Christmas drinkware selection is concise, making it easier to choose a daily cup or a festive gift without sorting through a large range. Its leading designs include the Stainless Steel Gingerbread Mug, Double Walled Heat Resistant Star Glass and Red Reusable Cup.

The gingerbread mug brings one of the collection's recurring holiday motifs into an everyday drinking vessel. The star glass offers a different effect: its double walls show off the layers of hot or iced drinks, making the drink itself part of the presentation.

The Red Reusable Cup is also available in a special set with a Bearista cap. The cap plugs the drinking hole to help prevent spills, adding a practical use to the character decoration.

Starbucks is selling that cap only as part of the set. Buyers who want the spill stopper therefore need to choose the bundled version, a feature likely to attract interest from customers looking for a functional accessory as well as a collectible.

Stationery and gift cards widen the gifting choices

Cards and paper goods outnumber drinkware this season, pointing to an emphasis on holiday gifts and items for office desks. The stationery choices include a Gold Notebook and Red Campus Ring Note, giving shoppers alternatives to a mug or bottle.

The gift formats include the Red Cup Beverage Card, Food and Beverage Card, Bearista Message Gift and Mini Cup Gift. Their compact size makes them simple to mail and easy to combine with a drink voucher, while offering budget friendly choices.

These items also tend to be restocked more frequently than ceramic or glass products. Ceramic and glass pieces usually come in smaller runs and can sell through quickly, so shoppers may find cards and stationery easier to obtain after the initial release.

The broader paper goods selection changes the balance of the collection. Customers can choose something for a desk, a message to accompany a gift, or a cafe treat rather than adding another drinking vessel to the cupboard.

Bearista plush toys and ornaments bring the cafe home

Bearista characters return in small and seasonal versions, including the Bearista Mini Set, Bearista Gingerbread Man and Bearista Carnival Mini. They offer cute desk companions and gifts suitable for children.

Starbucks customers collect these characters over time, often pairing a new Bearista with the cup design released that year. The Christmas versions give those collections another seasonal addition, while their smaller forms fit easily on a desk or shelf.

The ornaments draw on red cup nostalgia and miniature versions of familiar cafe objects. Designs include the Red Cup Gingerbread Man Ornament, Red Cup Bearista Ornament and Cold Cup Tumbler Ornament.

These decorations bring the shapes and colors of Starbucks cups onto a Christmas tree. They also suit small apartments, where hanging decorations can add festive detail without taking up table space.

Tokyo's Roastery takes a theatrical approach

Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo's Holiday Showtime range uses gold and velvet navy to evoke stage lighting and theater curtains. Its more restrained appearance contrasts with the bright red cup designs in the main collection.

The goods are made for the Roastery and the official online store, attracting collectors and visitors looking for items unavailable at a neighborhood Starbucks. Some pieces will be available only at the Nakameguro Roastery or through the official online channel.

Online advance sales begin at 8 p.m. on October 31, Japan Standard Time, followed by the store release on Saturday, November 1. Quantities can be limited, making the release schedule relevant for shoppers seeking a particular design.

The navy and gold styling gives coffee fans an alternative to more colorful holiday prints. Bottles, mugs, glasses and decorative pieces provide choices for gift exchanges and parties at the end of the year, with prices across the Roastery range running from 980 to 5,300 yen.

What the Roastery bottles, mugs and decorations cost

The Starbucks Reserve Stainless Bottle Blue and Silver holds 591 ml and costs 5,300 yen, about US$36. The smaller Stainless Bottle Silver holds 281 ml and costs 4,800 yen, about US$32.50.

The Stainless Cold Cup Tumbler Red holds 473 ml and costs 5,300 yen, about US$36. It comes with lids for hot and cold drinks, giving it a role beyond a single type of beverage.

Ceramic choices include the Stripe Mug in blue or white, each holding 355 ml and priced at 3,600 yen, about US$24. The Drape Mug Navy also holds 355 ml and costs 3,300 yen, about US$22.

Stem glasses in metallic blue or silver hold 355 ml and cost 3,100 yen each, about US$21. They extend the theatrical color scheme into glassware, alongside the steel bottles and ceramic mugs.

The decorative range includes ornaments shaped like a Drape Mug, a silo glass and a miniature coffee bag. Each costs 2,300 yen, about US$15.50. A Roastery snow globe costs 3,800 yen, about US$26, and drawstring pouches complete the assortment.

The prices offer several levels of gifting within the same collection. A 2,300 yen ornament costs 3,000 yen less than a 5,300 yen bottle or tumbler, while the mugs sit between those amounts.

Strawberry and tea lead Japan's holiday drinks

Japan's seasonal drinks arrive on November 1, with Joyful Medley tea appearing in several forms. The Strawberry and Joyful Medley Tea Frappuccino blends strawberry pulp with a milky tea base and uses diagonal layers to create a candy stripe appearance.

Whipped cream and freeze dried strawberries finish the drink. It is available iced in Tall size, with prices starting at 687 yen.

The Strawberry Mousse and Joyful Medley Tea Latte places tart strawberry mousse over a rich tea latte. Customers can choose hot or iced versions in several sizes, with prices ranging from 570 to 710 yen.

Holiday mini cookies provide another seasonal detail. Customers can add cookies shaped like ribbons, snowmen, bears and dolls as a playful topping.

The returning Joyful Medley Tea Latte and Gingerbread Latte connect the menu with the new candle collection. The tea provides the inspiration for Joy, while the warm, spiced character of the gingerbread drink fits alongside Relax's coffee and baking spice profile.

The November 1 launch brings all of Japan's holiday drinks into stores as the Halloween menu ends. For customers visiting for merchandise, it also creates an opportunity to try the seasonal flavors that helped shape the collection.

Japan's collection differs from North America's holiday release

North America's Starbucks holiday merchandise and menu return in early November with a different selection. The goods include a glass Bearista cold cup, a red ribbon tumbler and a gold poinsettia mug.

Select Starbucks Reserve locations in the United States are adding limited collections tied to the espresso martini and a holiday record player set. These give the Reserve stores their own seasonal goods, alongside the broader holiday range.

A Hello Kitty collaboration begins in the United States and Canada on November 6. It includes a plush toy wearing a Starbucks apron, as well as mugs and cold cups.

Starbucks, announcing its North American holiday season, described the November 6 menu return in celebratory terms:

Starting Nov. 6, Starbucks is welcoming the most magical time of year with the return of its beloved holiday menu at stores nationwide.

Japan's November 1 launch comes five days before that North American date. Its main collection concentrates on candles and a streamlined drinkware range, while the Tokyo Roastery provides a dressier navy and gold assortment.

Nostalgic colors, collectible cups and seasonal goods that can sell quickly connect the releases across markets. Japan's addition of candles gives customers a new way to carry the cafe experience into their living rooms, while Holiday Showtime offers a different style for coffee fans choosing gifts.

The release schedule and practical shopping details

October 31's online launch and November 1's store release create two opportunities to shop. The timing is the same for the main Christmas merchandise and the Roastery's online advance sale, while Japan's holiday drinks begin with the store launch.

• October 31, 2025, at 8 p.m. JST: Online sales begin through the official Starbucks store, including advance sales for the Tokyo Roastery collection.
• November 1, 2025: Christmas merchandise reaches stores nationwide, the Roastery collection launches in store, and Japan's holiday drinks replace the Halloween menu.
• November 6, 2025: North America's holiday menu returns, and the Hello Kitty collaboration begins in the United States and Canada.

Shoppers seeking a specific product may prefer to try the online release, since local stores can receive smaller quantities of some goods. Signing in beforehand and preparing payment and shipping details can make checkout faster when sales open.

Online traffic can surge at launch, and shoppers often refresh the store page as the release begins. Early store visits can also help with popular products, especially ornaments and plush Bearista items, which often sell out first.

The Red Reusable Cup's Bearista spill cap is available only with the set. Customers interested in that accessory need to check which version they are buying, rather than assuming every red cup includes it.

Stationery and gift cards are generally easier to find after release day. Roastery exclusives require a visit to the Nakameguro flagship or a purchase through the official online store, rather than a trip to an ordinary neighborhood branch.

Resellers can charge more than the retail price. Restocks can happen during the season, so checking official listings again may offer an alternative to paying a markup.

At a Glance

• Starbucks Japan's Christmas goods launch online at 8 p.m. JST on October 31 and in stores on November 1.
• The first Starbucks Moment candles in Japan are Joy, Refresh and Relax, inspired by tea, citrus, coffee and spice.
• The smaller drinkware range includes a gingerbread mug, a double walled star glass and a red reusable cup.
• The Bearista cap that helps prevent spills is sold only with the special Red Reusable Cup set.
• Cards and stationery outnumber drinkware, with notebooks, message gifts and several voucher formats available.
• Bearista plush characters and ornaments feature gingerbread, red cup and miniature tumbler designs.
• Tokyo Roastery's Holiday Showtime range uses navy and gold, with prices from 980 to 5,300 yen.
• Japan's November 1 drinks include strawberry versions of Joyful Medley tea and the returning Gingerbread Latte.
• North America's holiday menu and the United States and Canada Hello Kitty collaboration begin on November 6.
• Popular goods can sell quickly, while restocks may provide an alternative to reseller prices.