6 recommended coffee roasters in Japan (online) – comparison results

As a fun way to work from home, I compared dozens of popular roasters (home roasting) across the country.

Based on the top stores in the Japan Coffee Roasting Championship, I have covered popular and long-established stores to some extent, and would like to introduce my own recommendations.

Recommended Coffee Roasters

*Third wave type: Mainly shallow roasted, with an emphasis on fruitiness and aroma.

Mame Polepole (Okinawa Prefecture)

Japan Coffee Roasting Championship (JCRC)
One of Japan’s top rosters, ranked 1st in 2017 (2nd in World Championship) and 4th in 2018.

It has a taste that you will never get tired of even if you drink it every day, and it has a relaxing yet special taste.

The store is also experimenting with roasting, and has roasted green beans that have been dipped in liqueur, allowing customers to discover new ways to enjoy coffee.

■Features
A standard strain of non third wave coffee.
The combination of aroma and gorgeousness and the sharpness of the coffee are unique.

■ Mame polepole
https://www.mamepolepole.com/

 


Leaves Coffee (Tokyo, Japan)

For spectacular coffee, this is the place to go! A conceptual and unique roaster who sees coffee as a fruit.

It is a solitary third wave type of coffee, with an outstandingly gorgeous aroma and lingering aftertaste that makes the coffee feel like fruit.

■Features
A coffee with a fruity flavor that can be considered post third wave type.
It may be too stimulating for everyday drinking because of its special flavor.

■Leaves Coffee Roasters
https://leavescoffee.jp/

 


27 Coffee Roasters (Kanagawa Prefecture)

Japan Coffee Roasting Championship (JCRC)
Ranked 6th in 2017. A roaster with an unforgettable taste, perfect for an introduction to third wave types.

A roast that is a little more relaxed, without being overly aggressive in its third-wave characteristics.

A well-balanced coffee suitable for everyday drinking.

■Features
Well-balanced, suitable for everyday drinking among third wave types.
They also focus on online sales and are happy to offer free shipping.
■27 Coffee Roasters
https://27coffee.jp/

%ARABICA COFFEE (Kyoto)

The coffee shop from Japan as the most famous roaster in abroad.

Arabica Coffee opened its first store in Hong Kong by a Japanese. The company has four stores in Japan, mainly in Kyoto.

With nearly 100 stores in 16 countries overseas, it is probably the most famous Japanese roaster in the world.

The coffee tastes high roasted with a firm body and high aroma. Nevertheless, the taste is quite different from Seattle-style or other types of coffee, offering authentic high roasted beans that go well with milk.

■Features
The coffee is as floral as the third wave type, but with a strong body.
The presentation of the enjoyable coffee culture is also impressive, and the packaging materials are original.

■%ARABICA COFFEE
https://arabica.coffee/

 


FUGLEN COFFEE ROASTERS (Tokyo)

Norwegian roaster that stands out for its aroma and clarity

Shallow roasting is a characteristic of third-wave roasters, but Fuglen’s coffee has a nutty aroma despite its shallow roasting.

It is a little hard to drink a lot of gorgeous coffee, but the savory flavor makes it enjoyable as an everyday coffee.

■Features
Shallow roast and savory + clear.
The taste tends to be different from that of Japanese roasters.

■FUGLEN COFFEE ROASTERS
https://fuglencoffee.jp/

 


ONIBUS COFFEE (Tokyo)

Typical taste of a third wave type. The most cohesive coffee of them all.

This is a famous third wave roaster that has all the flamboyance, clarity, and fruitiness. This is a common trend among roasters in recent years, but this roaster has the most cohesive taste among them.

■Features
Good cohesion of floral, clear and fruity.
The body is light, and the coffee is enjoyable for its loose and lingering taste.

■ONIBUS COFFEE
https://onibuscoffee.com/

 

Japan Coffee Roasting Championship (JCRC)

Since recommendations on the Internet are fairly unreliable, I have chosen restaurants from popular places that I am sure are the best and from award-winning restaurants from the Roasting Championship, the roaster’s version of the Barista Championship (source).

However, “award-winning roaster does not = delicious”; it just means that the shop is highly skilled at roasting.

It depends greatly on whether they can purchase good beans and whether they suit our tastes, so we hope that you will refer to us as a store with high technology.

The award-winning roasters for the last three years are listed below.
(Not held in 2020 and 2021)

2019

NameAdressURLMy rating.
1KOTO COFFEE ROASTERSNaraclick★★★
2FINETIME COFFEE ROASTERSTokyoclick★★★+
3Mel Coffee RoastersOsakaclickundrinkable
4Sanwa Coffee WorksOsakaclickundrinkable
5SWITCH COFFEE TOKYOTokyoclick★★★
6Toho CorporationHyogoundrinkable

 

2018

NameAdressURLMy rating.
1ROKUMEI COFFEENaraclick★★★+
2TAKAMURA COFFEE
ROASTERS
Osakaclick★★★+
3KochayaShizuokaclickundrinkable
4Mame polepoleOkinawaclick★★★★★
5Cafe FUJINUMATochigiclick★★★+
6Ogawa coffee corprationKyotoclickundrinkable

 

2017

NameAdressURLMy rating.
1Mame polepoleOkinawaclick★★★★★
2BUNDYBEANSHyogoclickundrinkable
3Nakamura CoffeeMieclickundrinkable
4DECO COFFEEChibaclickundrinkable
5Sanwa Coffee WorksOsakaclickundrinkable
627COFFEE ROASTERSKanagawaclick★★★★

 

It’s not about whether it’s highly rate or not, it’s more about your taste and pleasure!

it is a luxury item, it is largely dependent on taste, and prices vary, such as for beans that have won awards in contests.

First, you go through the recommended stores to get a general idea of coffee trends, and then try coffee beans from various stores.

Have a nice coffee life!