Warmth of Tradition, Aroma of Coffee: The Allure of Ten Thousand Coffee Festival in Kemiren Traditional Village

There was a distinct aroma in Banyuwangi's air that night. Hot coffee steamed, laughter erupted among residents, and thousands mingled on Kemiren Traditional Village's streets in Glagah District. No barriers existed between hosts and guests; all sat together savoring this simple yet profound moment.

This was the Ten Ewu Coffee Festival, a unique Osing community tradition running since 2014 that has become Banyuwangi's cultural icon.

"Beyond showcasing Banyuwangi coffee - already internationally renowned - this moment strengthens communal bonds and brotherhood," stated Banyuwangi Regent Ipuk Fiestiandani amid thousands of attendees on Saturday night, November 8, 2025.

The festival, literally translating to "ten thousand coffee drinks," transcends free coffee enjoyment. It embodies respect for Osing values: suguh, gupuh, lungguh - guiding principles for welcoming guests.

"Suguh means hospitality through refreshments, gupuh signifies enthusiastic reception, and lungguh means preparing optimal seating for every guest," explained Kemiren Village Head M. Arifin.

"Ngopi sepuluh ewu manifests this philosophy while economically empowering residents and preserving cultural heritage," he continued.

True enough, Kemiren's main road transformed into pop-up coffee stalls. Yards became gathering spaces with wooden tables, floor mats, and Banyuwangi robusta's aroma piercing the night air.

Each arriving guest received warm smiles and coffee in heirloom traditional clay cups. Local snacks like kucur cakes, kemiri-leaf-wrapped fermented sticky rice, and fried bananas complemented the coffee, creating flavor harmony between bitter brew and sweet togetherness.

A Global Village

Kemiren now gains worldwide recognition beyond coffee. This year, the village secured two prestigious awards: The 5th ASEAN Homestay Award and UN Tourism's Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme 2025 - honoring their cultural preservation and global tourism openness.

"Regional government consistently supports collaborative preservation of Banyuwangi's culture," Regent Ipuk emphasized.

Ipuk blended seamlessly at the festival, sharing coffee without hierarchy - demonstrating how coffee unites everyone from officials to farmers, local to foreign visitors.

More Than Coffee

Kemiren's night glowed warmly. Oil lamps lined roadsides while traditional Osing melodies drifted softly, each coffee cup holding untold stories.

For locals, this transcends annual celebration - it symbolizes coffee as a universal language greeting the world.

Even influencer Winona Araminta attended with family, sharing moments online that drew youth to experience authentic cultural coffee immersion.

The Ten Ewu Coffee Festival now magnetizes travelers seeking authentic journeys of taste, culture, and unity - all within one coffee cup.