My trip to Tokyo Bitcoin Base \ stacker news ~bitcoin

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12.3k sats \ 21 comments \ @SimpleStacker 12h bitcoin

I'm on vacation in Japan and got a chance to visit the Tokyo Bitcoin Base. We didn't originally have it planned in the itinerary, but by a stroke of (bad?) luck, events outside our control led us to cancel an entire day's activities. That gave me some time to explore Tokyo freely, and I made it a point to check out the Tokyo Bitcoin Base, as well as go for some nice coffee and check out the Nintendo store, haha

So the Tokyo Bitcoin Base is a coworking space that I suppose houses some bitcoin companies. I'm not really sure, because I couldn't read the Japanese on the website and didn't really talk to anyone at the place. But they have a wall with a bunch company logos, so I suppose at least some of them must have employees who work here? The mailbox also says Blockstream on it, so I guess this is Blockstream's official Tokyo office?

Anyway, it was a rainy day so there weren't too many people around. There were no tourists hanging around outside, and there was just one guy in the lounge. He seemed absorbed reading something so I didn't bother him:

The main attraction is the Satoshi statue. Why Satoshi has come to be associated with a hoodie hacker is anyone's guess, but I guess this is Satoshi. The cool thing about the statue is that he becomes invisible as you walk by at a certain angle. Nice touch. Again, not entirely sure what the invisibility has to do with Bitcoin, but it's cool.

Inside on the first floor is a lounge space, already pictured above. It's got a variety of bitcoin related paraphernalia, including copies of Bitcoin Magazine, hardcover copies of Saif's The Bitcoin Standard and Principles of Economics, "Here Comes Bitcoin" plushies, and other stuff.

They also have this fairly cool mining setup, in which the heat given off by an array of solar-powered BitAxes is used to support an aquaponics ecosystem. Sovereign tech, indeed!

I didn't explore much beyond this lounge area. There wasn't anyone around to greet me or show me around. There were some people who seemed busy moving stuff in and out, so I didn't bother them. One person did ask me if I'm here to look around, and I said yes, and he just explained that it's a coworking space and that the first floor is a lounge, so I just assumed that there weren't any other exhibits beyond what I already saw on the first floor.

Parked outside the office was a food truck called "Cocorotus". If you search Tokyo in btcmap.org, you'll see Cocorotus everywhere. Apparently, it is a food truck chain that has embraced bitcoin. I couldn't miss this opportunity to spend bitcoin in-person, so I ordered their Singaporean chicken rice. The server was friendly and could tell by the look on my face that I wanted to pay in bitcoin. He showed me the QR code which opened a LN address, and I paid using Wallet of Satoshi, about 6,000 sats (¥800/$5). It was smooth as butter, but I did reflect on this post (#1272936), since instead of using a lightning invoice they had me enter the amount of sats myself. I wonder if I entered 600 and then just quickly showed him my confirmation screen, whether I could have scammed him.

Unfortunately, the food wasn't very good (as you can see in the pic), but at least I got to show my dad that you can actually buy stuff with Bitcoin.

Anyway, that's pretty much it for my bitcoin adventure in Japan. Besides this place, I haven't seen anything else bitcoin related yet. I did get to touch grass and snap some wicked photos of Mt. Fuji the next day though, haha.

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4 replies \ @5ac0372916 8h

Hey! Im that guy on the couch, thanks for (mostly) blocking what I look like. I was also a tourist checking the place out, I noticed you but i'm a bit to much of an introvert to start up conversations, I regret that now. The mining set-up they had was pretty sick.

102 sats \ 3 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 8h

Whoa, what are the chances!

Edit: oh, I see you said you're a tourist too. Small world indeed

167 sats \ 1 reply \ @5ac0372916 7h

I was given a tour of the upstairs, sounds like they didnt offer to take you up. Not much more besides more co-working spaces, they did have some interesting graphics with main events in the history of bitcoin, as well as this collection of bitcoin related books.

67 sats \ 0 replies \ @Scoresby 6h

It's pretty cool that you guys were able to recognize each other after the fact! Bitcoiners are awesome.

100 sats \ 0 replies \ @5ac0372916 8h

Yeah i'm from the US, I was there for a few weeks on vacation. That day was my last day, so I figured I would temporarily ditch the no-coiner I was with and check the place out.

67 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 30m

I’m aghast. The Japanese won’t expect people to scam them at all. It’s a country where you can get back your lost item 9 out of 10 times.

As a Singaporean, I gotta say that that chicken rice doesn’t look authentic. We eat it with cucumber slices, not scraps of vegetables.

I’m surprised that your daughter (/‘d other children?) didn’t clamour to go elsewhere!

Thanks for the read. I enjoyed your report

103 sats \ 1 reply \ @Scoresby 12h

There were no tourists hanging around outside

This is the real Bitcoin. Great write up! I find it so endearing that Bitcoiners are creating this little spaces all over the world. There's nothing quite like it. Gives me so much hope.

138 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 12h

I really wish they had a coffee shop on the first floor though, it would've completed the totally hipster vibe

67 sats \ 0 replies \ @Machiavelli23 4h

Super cool place love the statue.

103 sats \ 2 replies \ @DrBrader99 12h

That statue's cool!

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @siggy47 11h

It looks like a copy of the Lugano statue. I like that disappearing thing.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 12h

yes, it was. even my daughter liked it haha

67 sats \ 1 reply \ @krispy_donkey 8h

How’s you guys hear about this? I just got back from two weeks in Japan and found no Bitcoin anything anywhere and I certainly didn’t know about the btc centre until about a week ago when my x/Twitter feed told me about an event held there recently. Clearly there is a gap in my intelligence.

After pondering the total lvl of Bitcoin I found I realised that in one way Japan has not had need of bitcoin, for the past 40 odd years they have been enormously cash based society that has had very little inflation regarding their domestic consumer prices. The sheer scale of notes in circulation just blew my mind.

Thanks for the write up!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 7h

I think @k00b was the one who brought it to my attention when I asked about places to spend bitcoin in Japan in the saloon

67 sats \ 1 reply \ @siggy47 12h

Thanks for this great post! I have always wanted to visit Japan. Now I have one more reason.

36 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 12h

Now is as good a time as any. The exchange rate is very favorable right now too

67 sats \ 0 replies \ @OT 9h

Nice!

I didn't know about this place. You'd think the Japanese would embrace Bitcoin more as the Japanese name Satoshi is one of the most famous worldwide.

67 sats \ 1 reply \ @grayruby 12h

That is super cool. Fun side quest.

I have never been to Asia. I would love to visit Japan.

40 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 12h

it's a beautiful country, definitely worth a visit. The thing that strikes me most about Tokyo is how clean it is, for a major city with this many people.

88 sats \ 1 reply \ @0xbitcoiner 12h

This place is sick, man!

The mailbox also says Blockstream on it, so I guess this is Blockstream's official Tokyo office?

It's probably their office. Couldn't find their exact spot, but they def got an office in Tokyo.

Blockstream Opens Tokyo Office To Expand Bitcoin Infrastructure in Japan #882352

https://blockstream.com/about/

33 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker OP 12h

Likely this is it then! If you look up photos of Bitcoin Base Tokyo in Google Images, you'll find a bunch where the statue is still covered, dated around April 2025, while your article which announces their plans is dated January 2025, so the timeline fits.