About From Tree to Cup

What is From Tree to Cup?

This blog records the whole journey of coffee, as a coffee tree owner in Japan: growing coffee in Japan, roasting it at home, and finally brewing a cup.

The Japanese title, Ki kara Hai made (木から杯まで), means "From Tree to Cup." It describes every step, from coffee cherries on the tree to the coffee poured into the cup in front of me.

Most of the blog is written in Japanese. A selection of articles is also available in English, and you can find them on the English Articles page.

About me

I am a company employee in my 40s, living in Kumamoto, in Kyushu, the southwestern main island of Japan. I have enjoyed coffee since I was a student. I started this blog after becoming a coffee tree owner at Goto Coffee Farm in Minami-Aso, Kumamoto, so that I could record, with my own hands, every step it takes for a coffee tree to become a cup of coffee.

My coffee background

I have been buying roasted beans, grinding them by hand, and brewing my own coffee for about 25 years. Since before the "third wave" of coffee, I have been visiting cafés and coffee shops, drinking coffee there and buying beans to take home.

Brewing methods I have tried

Paper drip, flannel (nel) drip, AeroPress, French press, espresso with a Bialetti Moka Express, siphon, and cold brew. For everyday coffee, I now use paper drip.

Home roasting

I started roasting at home in 2023. I first used a Sandbox Smart R1, and I now use a KAKACOO Coffee Roaster.

Since I began roasting, I buy roasted beans less often. When I want to explore a new coffee shop or café, though, I still buy their beans and write about them only after drinking them myself.

As a coffee tree owner

Since May 2026, I have owned two coffee trees at Goto Coffee Farm in Minami-Aso through the farm's owner program. I am not a coffee professional, but I want to share what it is like to enjoy coffee while standing close to the person who grows it.

What I write about

• Coffee trees and farming: my experience as a tree owner, and coffee grown in Japan
• Home roasting: roasting records, equipment, and how roast level changes flavor
• Cafés and travel: coffee shops and trips, centered on Aso Coffee from Goto Coffee Farm
• Tools: grinders, drippers, roasters, and other equipment I actually use

How I write

• I only write about things I have actually drunk, used, or visited
• I do not guess at numbers, opening hours, origins, or similar facts
• I write honestly about downsides, and about who something may not suit
• All photos are my own

Affiliate links

This blog includes affiliate advertising, including Amazon Associates and booking sites. The products I introduce are ones I have tried myself or chosen based on reliable information. Affiliate income does not change what I write, and I aim to share honest impressions and accurate information. Articles that contain affiliate links are marked at the top. For details, please see the privacy policy.

Contact

For questions, comments, or corrections, please use the contact form. You are welcome to write in English or Japanese.