iki Roastery & Eatery: Where Light, Coffee, and Perfect Cake Meet in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Tokyo

The interior of a bustling cafe with a high ceiling and exposed wooden beams. A white counter has a sign above it that reads, 'Be. Here. Now.' and many customers are gathered around it.

Discovering a Sanctuary of Light in Kiyosumi Shirakawa Kiyosumi Shirakawa, on the east side of Tokyo, has transformed into a pilgrimage site for specialty coffee lovers since the arrival of Blue Bottle Coffee. However, the reason I’m repeatedly drawn back to this neighborhood is concentrated in one specific place, a short walk from the bustling Continue reading “iki Roastery & Eatery: Where Light, Coffee, and Perfect Cake Meet in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Tokyo”

Nihonbashi’s Hidden Gem: Freshly Roasted Specialty Coffee on Demand at Yanaka Coffee

The verdant entrance of Ynaka Coffee, an urban cafe adorned with plants at its entryway.

An Aromatic Detour in the Heart of Nihonbashi It was late afternoon on a clear day. I had just finished a meeting in Nihonbashi and was heading home, a pleasant sense of accomplishment washing over me. As I stepped out from Hakkaisan’s Sennen Kojiya, a place I’d visited before, a rich, enticing aroma suddenly tickled Continue reading “Nihonbashi’s Hidden Gem: Freshly Roasted Specialty Coffee on Demand at Yanaka Coffee”