Exploring coffee culture in Vietnam
When walking around Ho Chi Minh City, you can see coffee shops everywhere. Why are there so many coffee shops? This time, I will learn about coffee culture in Vietnam.
History of coffee culture
The reason why coffee shops are crowded in Ho Chi Minh City is deeply related to the history of Vietnam. In the mid-19th century, when Vietnam was still a French colony, the French are said to have brought coffee here. They probably sought out the coffee culture, which was thriving in Europe at that time in Vietnam. They brought coffee factories to the commercial port of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), from which coffee gradually spread into the lives of Vietnamese people.
Real coffee shop experience!
As you can see, coffee shops are always crowded, day or night. Regardless of weekdays or weekends, coffee seems to have become an indispensable part of Vietnamese people’s lives. Coffee shops are also places to work, meet, date and make friends. Although the culture of enjoying coffee is also very important, when you go to a coffee shop, you will feel that there are many people coming here to chat and enjoy the space.
I was wondering about the difference in coffee culture between Japan and Vietnam, so I conducted a survey among local people in both Vietnam and Japan. In both countries, the most common answer about the frequency of drinking coffee is usually 3-4 times/week. According to the survey, about 50% of Japanese people said they often go to coffee shops, while the most common answer of Vietnamese people is at work or school. Japanese people tend to use coffee shops as a place to relax or chat with friends and relatives. As for Vietnamese people, they often buy coffee to go and have a culture of enjoying coffee every day. They often drink coffee at work or school to increase concentration on work.
Conclusion
The survey results did not reveal much about the differences in cafe culture, but if you visit a cafe, the differences are clear. I felt that cafe culture is a part of Vietnamese life. If you come to Vietnam, please try visiting a cafe. You will be surprised at the differences from Japan.
