The owner, Mr. Okada, who is called "an entertainer in the barista world," welcomed us with a cheerful "Welcome! Next to him is Jumpei Yamamoto, a barista and roaster.
One of the unique features of this Arashiyama store is that it has a fully equipped roastery, which is said to be the first of its kind in Japan, equipped with a smart roaster with a large 7kg kettle. Yamamoto-san, who used to work with Okada-san at Ogawa Coffee, then went to Germany to train by himself in 2014. Yamamoto-san, who previously worked with Okada-san at Ogawa Coffee, then went to Germany to train by himself in 2014. "Germany is located next to many European countries and is a place where trends and new cultures from other countries are introduced," Yamamoto-san said.

There, he began working as a barista in Berlin [Röststäte], and later was involved in producing the launch of a specialty coffee shop [WIM KAFFEE], where he worked as the head barista. He was selected as the head barista at Populus Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster owned by a Finnish national, and was also in charge of training support and other duties. After that, Okada-san asked him to come back to Japan for the opening of this store.
This store expresses Yamamoto-san's desire to create a new style of café, which is different from Okada-san's desire to convey the quality of a traditional coffee shop. Okada-san, who is usually at Okaffe kyoto in Ayakoji Higashinotoin, made a special effort today to explain the recommended items to us.

Let's start with coffee. Coffee tastes completely different depending on the type of bean, but also on the roasting time and other factors. Try eating coffee beans? You can tell the difference by eating them directly," said Mr. Yamamoto. We decided to try three kinds of beans. ［While Okaffe Kyoto's signature bean, "Dandy Blend," has a strong roasted taste, "Panama Esmeralda Geisha," which is now attracting worldwide attention, has a light and slightly sour taste. The "Party Blend" is an in-between blend that combines the best of both worlds. It was nice to be able to choose a cup that I liked while talking with them. After much deliberation, the "Leaf" editorial staff decided to have the "Dandy Blend," a specialty coffee brewed with sophisticated techniques.

Mr. Okada also believes that "Dorayaki" is the best match for coffee. We decided to share a pancake-like dorayaki called "pan dorayaki," which was created after consulting with Mr. Fujita of Kashiya in Kawabata Nijo. While there is the standard flavor of grains of sweet bean paste for 450 yen and the Kyoto-like flavor of green powdered tea for 450 yen, the "Leaf" editorial staff was interested in the meat for 850 yen. The 100% Kyoto pork pate sandwiched with white miso, mustard, and other sauces is a surprisingly good match. I had a strange feeling that the sweet dorayaki bread would go so well with it, but as I took another bite and then another, I finished it off in one bite. The sweetness of the dorayaki bread is quite addictive, and when paired with the "Dandy Blend" that I had just ordered, it only makes it even more delicious!

Other items available for purchase as souvenirs include coffee beans "Dandy Blend" for 1,300 yen (225g, beans and powder), drip packs "Dandy Box" for 950 yen (5 packs), coffee cups and T-shirts. They also offer a free drink to those who purchase 200g or more of coffee beans.

［You can relax in the space (18 seats) shared with CHAVATY kyoto arashiyama, or take out for a stroll. We hope you will stop by Okaffe kyoto Arashiyama, where you can spend your time as you wish.