Prologue

My first encounter with coffee dates back to when I started working a part-time job at a Starbucks.

I casually decided to work there because it seemed cool. But I found myself captivated by the variety of tastes between different origins and processing methods.

Soon, a so-called light-roast, specialty coffee shop opened in Miyazaki, where I lived at the time.

It was blown away by light-roasted Kenyan and Ethiopian coffees I drank there for the first time in my life! They really tasted like cassis jasmine and maple syrup!

The experience completely changed my perception of coffee.

Many people went on to become baristas after experiencing coffee culture abroad on working holiday. But for me, coffee changed my life in none other than Miyazaki.

And that was when I was losing sight of the future after dropping out of university to become a musician but getting nowhere.

Back then, I loathed working for the sake of making money. But with coffee I wanted to make it my job.

I couldn’t picture myself going to Tokyo and making a living from music. But I thought I might be able to strike out on my own with coffee.

Finally, I was able to make up my mind to move to Tokyo.