KKyoto

Finding good/economical coffee beans in Kyoto. Any recommendations?

  • April 6, 2024

I am now living in Kyoto, probably for several years. Normally, I drip coffee at home every morning.

Now I am finding not a fancy stuff but just a light roast coffee beans that I could use for everyday drip. The taste note I prefer is fruity and bright but no need to be that excellent kind of coffee.

Any recommendation for shops or online stores? Thank you!

by Odd_Result8773

11 comments

  2. Ogaki bookstores have inhouse cafes with beans roasted in their horikawa location. Their ethiopian beans are very serviceable medium-light roast and you get a coffee for free when you buy 200g. I don’t remember the price exactly but it’s somewhere around 1500 for 200g.

    For some real fancy beans, try goodman and kurasu but it gets expensive fast.

    Welcome to Kyoto!

  3. Check out Kaldi’s range of beans. Good display with flavour profile charts. There’s a Kaldi in most malls. In town centre they are in Zest (Shiyakusho-mae subway station mall) and Sanjo-Teramachi. I go to the one in Aeon Mall just South of Kyoto Station.

    In most larger and some smaller supermarkets Ogawa coffee beans. Kyoto brand! Several options.

  4. Light roast *is* the fancy stuff in Japan. Or that’s what they prefer, to darker/heavier roasts.

  5. I like hachigatsu no inu.

    [https://www.rakuten.co.jp/hatiinu/](https://www.rakuten.co.jp/hatiinu/)

    I often have them do espresso roast versions of some of their organic single-origin chemical-fertilizer-free beans, and they’re very good. Sorry for snobbing out.

  6. try to find a local roaster and try different beans and roasts

    i live around shuugakuin so this is where i tend to buy my beans, you can roast to order right there: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/WLTjizxthB9koSXL7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/WLTjizxthB9koSXL7) . prices are similar to kaldi or jupiter.

    i’m brazilian and grandpa was a coffee farmer, so i tend to be go for brazilian beans; i’d recommend a catuaí or yellow bourbon variety in a medium roast for your taste.

    and one thing, if you buy freshly roasted beans, remember to age them a bit for the ideal taste (a few days for darks, 5 to 7 days for mediums and at least 10 days for light roasts)

  8. Cafe Garage has beans from quite a few countries. Small quaint cafe run by a couple. Extremely picky about his ingredients. Open on Fri, Sat and Sundays. Tell them the American next door sent you.

  10. Since you mentioned economical, do try Liquor Mountain, Yamaya, and maybe even Maki Shouten. I feel like the other places mentioned and even Kaldi will be less economical. Happy Dripping.

  11. If you’re near or pass regularly through Kyoto Central, try Jupiter. They have decent but not necessarily exciting, fairly affordable beans. Kamee Coffee on Sanjo-dori street is another option if you don’t want to break the bank.

    I haven’t found a roaster in the city I like enough to become a regular, be it for everyday or higher-quality beans. Sadly.

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