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English Articles
A selection of our coffee stories, available in English. Most of the blog is written in Japanese — use “JA” in the header to read it.
BEB5 Mojiko Review: What to Know Before Staying at Hoshino Resorts’ New Kanmon Strait Hotel
An honest review of BEB5 Mojiko by Hoshino Resorts, opened in July 2026 in Mojiko, Kitakyushu. Strait-view rooms, the 10th-floor MIZUBA terrace, the noodle-bar buffet and how to book it, how beer works at dinner, and the things to know before you book: no bathtubs in the rooms and a public bath that is not an onsen.
Soft Serve in Minamiaso, Kumamoto: kibaco at the Shin-Aso Bridge Viewpoint
A visit to kibaco, the second location of Minamiaso Shizenha Soft, inside the Shin-Aso Bridge viewpoint Yo-Myuuru. Tasting both the Minamiaso Fresh Milk Soft Serve and the Ribbon Soft Serve, with a side-by-side comparison of texture, sweetness and how they hold their shape, plus opening from 9 a.m. and the view of Shin-Aso Bridge.
A Grape Aroma With No Fruit Added? PHILOCOFFEA's "708 Colombia Aroma Nativo" Blew Me Away
A review of PHILOCOFFEA's 708 Colombia Aroma Nativo PB1093, a light-roast Pink Bourbon with striking grape and lychee aromas, and a look at how fermentation-driven processing can shape coffee flavor.
Chie's Coffee Food Truck Review: Gluten-Free Rice-Flour Churros and Espresso Tonic
A food truck called Chie's Coffee, serving gluten-free rice-flour churros, in-house roasted coffee, and an espresso tonic. An honest review with churros as the real star.
Home Roasting with the KAKACOO KAKA-G400: First & Second Crack
A hands-on home-roasting log with the KAKACOO KAKA-G400 coffee roaster, using Tanzanian and Kenyan beans. I share my process, first and second crack, roast levels, and honest pros and cons.
Is Coffee Leaf Tea Grassy? The Side-Shoot Tea That Made My Wife Go "Ugh" — and How I Fixed It
I pan-roasted fresh coffee tree side shoots to make coffee leaf tea. After a grassy first attempt, I followed advice from Goto Coffee Farm, adjusted the roast, removed the stems, and changed the steeping time until it became genuinely drinkable.
What Is Goto Coffee Farm in Minami-Aso?
A visit to Goto Coffee Farm, growing coffee in Aso, Kumamoto. The passion of former high-school teacher Mr. Goto, and the story behind "Aso Coffee."