In contrast to the quiet of the night, I can hear chirps of birds and cries of monkeys.

The sunlight streaming through the trees is fantastic again today.

I get that same feeling every day. I want to bathe in this light every day.

Before breakfast

It’s time for a demonstration of the false bananas that I have seen so many times during this trip!

The edible parts of the fruits were fermented for three months and made into dough. The host used it to make crepes for us.

They had a different texture and acidity from injera.

Ethiopia has an impressive variety of fermented food.

It seems the country has so much in common with Japan!

Moving on to a meal at the lodge.

Just as delicious as last night’s dinner.

And the owner has taken really good care of us.

So adorable.

And today we are going to visit Moplaco’s washing station.

A long drive, of course.

A road trip has been a big part of this trip.

Here is a fun fact: we assigned a certain theme to every car, such as business management, coffee talk, relaxing room (in name only haha), and so on.

so on

So, as passengers change, so does the conversation, even when talking about the same topic.

And different opinions and ideas are thrown around each time.

In fact, it is almost as if these conversations on the road seem to be the underlying theme of the TYPICA Lab.

Our thoughts are refined as we talk with each other. Everyone’s expressions changed every time we hit the road.

I was no exception.

These conversations gave me countless clues that brought me closer to the goal I had set for myself.

It was a transportation revolution.

I even look forward to long car rides now, even though I used to hate it.

Today was another day of non-stop dialogue.

But we arrived at our destination just when our discussions were getting exciting.

But it’s fine because when discussions are left unfinished, there is room for each of us to think the rest for ourselves.

We arrived at the Homasho area.

I was not familiar with this area, but it is located at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level.

Apparently the quality of the cherries here has improved due to global warming.

Global warming has its its downsides, as I witnessed the day before. But it can also mean new regions becoming increasingly suitable for coffee production.

This washing station is an affiliate of Moplaco.

Never would have I been able to hear how they run their facilities firsthand if I hadn’t come here.

Later, we went to the Kokose washing station.

We were welcomed by a song and dance by Ethiopian girls wearing fluorescent Mopraco T-shirts.

I couldn’t help but clap my hands and smile.

Then we were allowed to watch producers as they washed-processed beans.

We were able to see the actual process of cherries being depulped through a pulper before they were put into a fermentation tank.

I had a chance to touch and hold a stick-like thing they use to rake the beans into a fermentation tank. The work was harder than it looked.

Nowadays you can pick up a book or watch a YouTube video to get these kinds of information.

This process of coffee evolving into coffee.

There was something mystical about it.

A picture is worth a thousand words. It really is.

I was wondering what would happen to the contaminated water used for washed-processes

when, as expected, Heleana offered an answer as if she had read my mind.

She said that after collecting the water in a reservoir at the end of the canal, 

it will be cleansed of harmful substances with the surrounding plants’ purification and fermentation

before being released into the river.

She said that they use lime to reduce the foul smell of the water.

Just as I had come to expect, Heleana’s care for the environment really stands out in this aspect too.

Every part of the process is done in a circular manner.

We took another tour around the facility.

I got to see and touch the specially processed cherries. Beautiful. Really.

Everything inside the facility was so big that I was excited the whole time.

After that, we had a small party in a tent at the washing station.

A potato festival. Ethiopian potatoes are delicious. Then we had a homemade honey liquor.

It was quite strong. Delicious.

As we were enjoying the party, the sky was getting cloudier, and it was time for the classic squall. We hurried back inside our cars.

I wish I could have been at the station much longer.

We returned to the lodge for dinner.

We invited Heleana to the Japanese team’s table today.

I asked her many questions that I wanted to ask her.

I asked her what she thinks about the COE. Her answer was so illuminative that I found some negative aspects about the contest that I can’t go into much detail in this post.

Then she explained the difficult aspects of the people of Ethiopia. 

Through this conversation, I got a glimpse of all the hardships that Heleana must have had to go through.

She is such an honest person that

she told us about both the bright and the dark sides of her country.

It was a truly memorable conversation.

I’m sure I will share it with so many people once I’m back in Japan.

As night fell, we returned to our rooms. It was the last night at the lodge.

I thought I was going to take a bath, but then the power went out.

This is just another day at the lodge.

Tomorrow we are going back to the capital.

Today was the last day in a production area.

I went to sleep while reminiscing about all the things I have experienced so far.

On the drive there, Heleanna took us to a former coffee farm that’s now disused.

The area used to have coffee trees, but they’ve been replaced by khat (a plant with mild psychedelic properties), which is a quick source of income, but unfortunately, it depletes the soil of its nutrients, leaving the farm barren and unsuitable for coffee farming.

It is a tough situation, especially considering that we’re seeing a decrease in coffee farms, and farmers struggling to make ends meet.

As a coffee professional and as a person, how should we approach this?

I don’t have a clear answer to that question at the moment.

Despite this, we feel that it’s our responsibility to do our best to bring as much of this amazing Ethiopian coffee to consumers as we can.

I also visited a school supported by Moplaco.

I was touched by the children’s innocent expressions.

Being a Japanese-educated individual, I believe in the importance of education.We have experienced the values of education and the changes it brings. But Education systems in Ethiopia are not so well placed, as schools lack basic facilities and children lack the motivation to go to schools. There is a lack of basic school materials, infrastructure as well as distance; it sometimes takes 6kms to walk to the school under the rain and mud. Hence the drop out rate especially among girls that reach puberty is quite high.

What can be done to instill the value of education here? What can we do to encourage children to go to school? How could we contribute to this change?

As we traveled, it became clear that what’s considered normal in Japan is vastly different from what’s normal in Ethiopia.

We encountered numerous examples of this throughout the day.

Morning found us visiting a production region away from Lake Awasa.

Warm rays of sunlight shone down on me, making the surrounding nature feel even more pleasant.

It seems like Mr. Yama from Mount Coffee felt the same way.

We were staying at a guesthouse located in one of the dry mills of Moplaco.

After a light breakfast, Heleanna gave us a brief tour around the facilities.

Some of the equipment was weathered, but there were a couple of brand-new machines that piqued my curiosity.

We were told we’d be able to observe the natural processing they were using on coffee cherries in the afternoon.

I almost got emotional hearing that they’d gone out to buy more cherries for this purpose, as all of theirs were already gone by this point.

First, we listened to a rough overview of what was to come.

Then, we headed toward the washing station located in the Guji area of Wete Ambela.

We arrived at a good-looking piece of land covered with slopes as far as the eye could see under a sprawling blue sky.

Elias and Mekuria returned once more to show us around the washing station.

Seeing the fermenters and pulpers up close,

I’d be lying if I said they were neat and clean, but

they’re an important part of what makes Wete Ambela’s coffee unique.

Farmers in the surrounding area who wish to sell to them must be registered,

and they won’t buy coffee cherries if they don’t pass certain criteria.

But a system has been set up so that farmers who don’t meet purchasing standards

are given solid advice and education, providing them with opportunities to try again.

Still, they talked about how hard it is to turn down farmers who don’t meet the criteria

and bring unripe cherries again and again without showing any signs of improvement.

I was struck by how steadfast Elias is when it comes to maintaining the quality of the coffee cherries they use.

About 90% of the coffee produced here is G1, with G2, G3, and G4 making up the remainder.

After looking around, Team Wete had a big surprise for us.

They’d prepared some coffee seedlings for each one of our team members to plant. The kindness of these guys is just unbelievable.

Even though we struggled to plant our new “children” on the slope, we successfully got them in the ground and promised to pay them a visit in another four years.

After that, Team Wete treated us to another Ethiopian lunch.

This time the star of the meal was… raw meat. Yes, you heard that correctly.

I’d known it was a part of Ethiopian cuisine from my pre-departure research, but I’d never expected to actually “see it in the flesh.”

After my initial surprise, I had to refuse on account of my weak stomach,

but there was something so appealing about eating fresh meat that had just been killed that morning, that I almost couldn’t hold back.

Mr. Ito from Kariomons Coffee was brave enough to take on the challenge.

He said it was one of the best things he’d ever tasted.

Seeing how far Mr. Ito was willing to go in order to truly savor every moment of this experience, made me respect him even more.

For the rest of the morning, we returned to the dry mill to hear more about how natural processing works.

First, the cherries are thoroughly washed and floated.

Seeing just how much care they put into this process, it hits home why Moplaco are known as the pioneers of Ethiopian Sundried (natural) coffee.

Afterwards, the cherries’ color is input with a cutting-edge optical sorting machine, and they’re sorted at lighting speed.

Watching all of this made me feel as excited as a kid visiting a candy factory.

The drying racks were tightly packed with lines of dried coffee cherries.

Heleanna told us they should end up with a glossy and firm finish, not unlike human skin.

The cherries were then placed on an African drying bed.

The sight of the dewy cherries glittering in the sunlight was spectacular.

I was also astounded by how quickly the veteran pickers were able to pick through them.

The remaining cherries were placed into a tank for special processing.

Heleanna beamed radiantly as she added avocado and honey liqueur into the tank.

We were witnessing the creation of infused coffee, a product that’s been taking the world by storm.

Of course, this was yet another playful surprise that had been prepared for us.

When someone asked Heleanna her thoughts on infused coffees,

she said, “They’re completely different from specialty coffees.”

“To me anaerobic and infused coffees are like champagne. You only drink them on special occasions.”

“Washed or natural coffees are perfectly enjoyable for most days, right?”

To be honest, I’d taken a neutral stance on trendy infused coffees up until then,

so it was a moving experience to hear those words come straight from a producer’s lips.

After witnessing the origin of their sundried coffee’s quality with our own eyes, we were taken to a school that Moplaco is supporting.

Located in Adame, the school was established through a partnership with “Costa,” a major coffee producer whose coffee beverages can be found in vending machines all over Japan.

(Wete Ambela is also helping to support the construction of a different school.)

The school currently has 2,000 students, and we learned that the topped-up profits from TYPICA’s blind auctions,

were being used to buy writing supplies and other products for the school.

As we learned more about the school, I noticed students slowly beginning to gather around us.

They seemed to love being photographed and would pose with big smiles for the camera.

I could see the future of Ethiopia reflected in their bright and curious eyes.

After taking a group picture,

we headed to Sidama, where we would be staying that evening.

Heleanna and her team were riding in the car in front of ours,

and they’d stop the cars multiple times along the way to explain more about the current situation in Ethiopia.

The original areas where coffee trees had been planted,

had been deforested to plant a bush like drug called, “khat.” It has hallucinogenic effects and it acts like an LSD.

Khat, itself a Cash Crop just like coffee, sells at higher prices.

A kilo of Khat can earn the equivalent of 2000 Birr (around 37 USD) whilst a kilo of coffee earns this year alone 110 Birr (around 2 USD).

The difference is huge. Khat is harvested twice a year, and Coffee only once. Hence the economic benefits of Khat outweigh the ones of coffee for the local farmers.

Similar situation exists in Colombia with the cocaine production.

It is a plant that is highly water intensive, absorbing water from all the underground beds of water, and drying up the soil and the water resources very fast.

It is a plant that also requires pesticides, that are chemicals that are not to be used in conjunction with coffee as Khat and coffee grow in close proximity.

Khat is competing with coffee, and as the water around it dries out, slowly so the coffee trees.

Heleanna had told us many times that Ethiopia had the best soil because of its unique forests, that create a canopy, that in turn creates good compost and hummus, a soil rich in minerals and micro organisms.

She lamented that coffee trees were being lost to chase short-term money.

And to grow nothing else than a drug that affects the society in so many levels.

But what can you tell people that are struggling to make it even to the next day?

It was painful to see children coming over with handfuls of khat to sell us whenever our cars stopped.

I could sense that Heleanna was overflowing with a desire

not only to convey what was going on with Ethiopia’s coffee, but to address the overall situation of the country itself.

After leaving that area, we drove to a town with much different scenery.

Sidama has a large population, and the markets are bustling with people and goods.

The buildings also seemed to be sturdier than others I’d seen so far.

Heading further into the town, we arrived at our home for that night – a lodge modeled after a traditional Sidama residence.

Its exoticism reminded me a little of log house, a building that coexists with both animals and nature.

On arriving, we were presented with a delicious smoothie and a coffee ceremony.

After that, they performed a traditional Sidama dance.

It was very intense.

(The Yirga Chefe dance from yesterday was much slower paced.) A dance battle ensued, and Mr. Yama showed off his cool moves.

The cake that the lodge surprised us with was also heavenly.

After that we had dinner.

Like Heleanna, the owner of the restaurant also had Greek roots,

and the tasteful dishes he served us were a fusion of Ethiopian and foreign foods.

We also indulged in some Ethiopian wine.

Out in the middle of nature,

I gazed up at the sky as I mused over the events of the long day.

The Wi-Fi signal was weak, and we lost power several times,

but with the sounds of hyenas howling and monkeys chattering around us,

we slept under the glittering light of an almost full moon.

Cars were almost non-existent there. All we saw were motorcycles and horses laden with hemp sacks.

As our car passed by, the people would wave at us, but I wasn’t sure if they were doing it because they truly wanted to welcome us. After slightly hesitating, I waved back at them.

Finally, we arrived at the coffee farm.

After passing through a hilly road dotted with wild coffee trees, we reached an area where cultivated coffee trees had been carefully planted on a slope.

Although most of the coffee cherries had already been picked, there were still few remaining on the branches.

It was the first time I’d ever eaten one. It tasted sweet, almost like a peach or plum.

The warehouse was full of large piles of hemp sacks, but it was well-organized and clean.

Through our conversations over the homemade lunch, I learned that the pickers I’d seen living along the road had been excited for us to come and see their coffee. This made it much easier for me to wholeheartedly wave goodbye to them on the way home.

While we were traveling, we decided to play a game where each car would be assigned a topic that the passengers would discuss among themselves.

We traveled for a total of about nine hours that day, and I had the fortune of riding in the car that had been assigned the topic of management. I don’t have enough words to describe the words of wisdom and knowledge I gained from traveling with Mr. Goto and Mr. Tomidokoro, two very accomplished executives. Thinking about it now still makes me thankful from the bottom of my heart.

I hope the other team members can take a turn riding in the management car soon so everyone else has a chance to experience that eureka moment for themselves.

It’s day 2 and I’m starting my day with a new blog post.

The morning sun is gentle, and the breeze is as pleasant as ever, making up for the scorching heat during the day.

Everyone gathers around the large table for breakfast, life finally back to normal after a long Covid-caused suspension to group meals. 

What a great way to start the day!

We hit the road and head to Wete Ambela’s farm in Guji.

Despite the early hour, there are plenty of people out and about in Ethiopia. 

As we leave the bustling cityscape of Awassa and drive towards Guji, the activity starts to dwindle, with fewer houses and stores in sight.

The red earth that I had only seen in pictures unfolds before me, and vendors come up to our car every time we stop, reminding me that I am indeed in Ethiopia.

As the road turns into the mountains, the sound of cars attracts the attention of the roadside dwellers, with 99% of them looking our way, including children with big smiles on their faces waving at us.

I wave back, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy.

After three hours on the road, we finally arrive at the farm, where Elias greets me with a smile and a hat.

Elias, who was calm and collected when we met him yesterday, now has a mischievous side that makes me smile.

Coffee trees line the path to the main farm, and my excitement builds as we climb higher up the mountain.

Although the harvest season is over and there aren’t many cherries left, the few that remain are glowing like red gems.

I finally get to taste a coffee cherry, and it’s like eating peaches and sweet plums. I’m overwhelmed with emotion.

Next, we visit a dry mill, where I’m introduced to a world I had only known secondhand. 

The African beds, meticulously crafted from wood, the tidy storage areas, and the tanks for anaerobic fermentation are all here in reality. 

My brain is still processing the surreal feeling when I’m treated to a home-cooked meal by Team Wete, consisting of traditional crepes, bread dough, and other Ethiopian staples, along with beef stewed with a mix of ingredients, the meat tender and tasty with no gamey flavor. 

In Ethiopia, they eat meat the same day they kill it, giving it a fresh taste that can’t be found in Japan and making you appreciate the cow even more when eaten with your hands.

Elias confirmed that pickers only work temporarily during harvest season when I asked him.

I wondered if the children who welcomed us were intrigued by the unfamiliar cars and faces, knowing that we were there to make coffee.

Crafting a convenient story can sometimes have its benefits.

After a hearty meal, I was so full that I felt as if my stomach would burst open, but as expected, we then had a coffee ceremony.

Yesterday’s anaerobic coffee was prepared with a ceremonial flair and was delicious. 

Every time I drink coffee, I feel a sense of relief.

Next, we traveled from Guji to Yirgacheffe. On the way back, we waved to the children.

After a four-hour drive, we arrived at the guesthouse owned by Moplaco.

We thanked the drivers for their hard work.

It was already dark when we arrived and we were greeted by a bonfire. 

After getting out of the car and unpacking, dinner was immediately served.

As I sat down with a beer in hand, I was surprised to see Eleana-san, whom I had only previously seen on the internet, standing behind me.

I frequently use Eleana’s coffee and there she was, in person, right in front of me.

She greeted me with a warm smile and said “Welcome.” 

The emotions I felt were overwhelming, and I almost cried.

Just as her online persona suggests, Eleana treated everyone with a motherly kindness and patience, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.

After dinner and drinks, the conversation naturally shifted to coffee and everyone had questions for Eleana, who was more than happy to answer them.

After all the excitement, Eleana retired for the night.

The Lab members and I then had another discussion around the bonfire.

Over the past two days, we’ve shared and released our emotions in a way that is not often possible.

As we near the end of the day, we reflect on the theme of the trip and retire to our bedroom.

Sleeping together in a large room with everyone in sleeping bags, as one would at a guesthouse, reminded me of a school trip and was a rare experience.

Am I getting any closer to achieving my personal goal for this trip?

To be continued.

Finally TYPICA Lab has kicked off.

After a long flight, we arrived at an airport in the capital Addis Ababa.

I got off to a rocky start as I struggled to buy and set a SIM card. I found out my credit card doesn’t work, and had to wait for a long time.

And when I finally was able to sort it out, I found out that my Android phone wasn’t compatible with that SIM card.

Just like that, 7 dollars down the drain.

We went on to board another plane, this time a domestic flight, to an airport in Awassa, and headed straight to our hotel.

On the way, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I spotted a coffee ceremony kit at a makeshift shop.

There, we had coffee and injera, a staple on the Ethiopian dining table.

The coffee had a berry-like rich sweetness characteristic of Ethiopian natural. It tasted good.

I’ve read a few online articles saying injera isn’t for the taste of Japanese people. But it was unexpectedly delicious.

It had an sour bread-like acidity that comes from fermentation and a hint of sharp-edged citrusy acidity.

You tear it into bite sizes and wrap fillings with them.

It has a soft, plump texture and tears easily when it soaks up liquid from the fillings.

I knew right then and there that I would have no problem with Ethiopian food.

What a relief. Ethiopian beer was tasty too.

We boarded a domestic flight to Awassa.

Then we took a ride straight to our hotel.

We’ll be traveling with the drivers during this trip. They were all such characters.

We drove by papaya trees, cattle herds, and the charming and joyful presence of the Ethiopian people along the road as we entered the city, feeling the richness of the Ethiopian culture.

As we arrived at the hotel, we were treated to a welcome drink and another coffee ceremony.

It tasted just as great as I’ve come to expect by now, and even greater with a bit of sugar like espresso. The cup is cute, too.

We then joined Mekuria and Elias from Wete Ambela Coffee and began our welcome party and session with members of TYPICA Lab. 

We wrote down our personal theme for this trip as well as our own philosophies, which we later discussed as a group.

We felt that the distance between us, previously strangers, considerably shortened thanks to this discussion.

We also had a chance to taste the first batch of the season’s new crop from Wete.

The crisp, fresh breeze.

The rustling sound of the trees swaying in the wind.

The beautiful chirping of colorful birds.

We savored the delicious coffee while admiring the sparkling lake in front of us, an experience that brought a sense of euphoria that was indescribable. 

This was a day that will be unforgettable for the rest of our lives, and we wished that everyone could experience it.

Later, dinner was lively and filled with various conversations, and we never stopped talking.

 After a long flight, we went to bed exhausted.

Despite the fatigue, it was a day filled with excitement from beginning to end.

My personal theme of this trip is to deepen my understanding of coffee and share this experience with consumers so they can experience it vicariously. I am on a quest to discover why I have fallen deeply in love with this drink called coffee.

Let’s see if I can achieve this goal!

This is my debut journey to Africa, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in the everyday lives of Ethiopians.

Everything is fresh and new to me here – the air, the scenery, and most importantly, the people.

My goal is to make the most of my time here, connecting with roasters from South Korea and Japan and cherishing every moment.

Then eight hours from Doha.

It’s been a full day of flight, including stopover.

I’ve come all the way to the “motherland.”

The slightly smoky, herb-scented wind blows away all my exhaustion from the long flight.

It feels refreshing.

This is the continent of Africa I’ve dreamed of visiting.

After a quick greeting with Leon, who manages Tanzanian coffee

we headed on to his farm on Acacia Hills.

Leon’s gentle personality and warm atmosphere makes me feel like I can meet high-quality coffee.

After arriving at the farm, we cupped Tanzanian coffee, one of the purposes of this trip.

On the table were 10 kinds of super fresh coffee that had been harvested this month and dried just two weeks ago.

All of them were from Leon’s farm on Acacia Hills.

The varieties were Geisha, Kent, which is said to be native to Tanzania, and some hybrid varieties called Salchimo, Castillo, and SL28.

There were two processing types, washed and honey.

The floral flavor and elegant sweetness stood out so much that the coffees had no negative aspects that are often associated with fresh harvests. Every cup had a greater potential than I expected, so much so that I would like to buy them all if I could.

Tanzania is a popular origin at The Coffee Market, my shop. I’m confident that I can impress Tanzania fans with these coffees from Acacia Hills.

Now I’m in the twilight of my coffee life, and TYPICA has offered me a big chance to visit a coffee origin. And the cherry on top was that the destinations are Kenya and Tanzania, the places I’ve wanted to visit the most.

I want to breathe in the air of Africa, and absorb the coffee landscapes and allures of Kenya and Tanzania.

As a coffee professional, and as a man, I’m feeling irresistible exhilaration.

I would like to thank all my staff members for letting me go on this trip despite the fact that they are extremely busy managing our newly opened shop. I’m looking forward to meeting other roasters who lead Japan’s coffee industry. And today, I am going to fly to Tanzania, Africa.