Powerstone & Cafe Shinsei — Restaurant in Koya

We stumbled upon this gem in Koyasan on our visit through google maps and were absolutely delighted! From Australia/UK travellers, we’re very particular about our coffee—and this was hands down the best we’ve had in Japan so far. The cappuccinos were perfectly brewed and came with the most incredible coffee art we’ve ever seen. Such a lovely touch, especially with our toddler!

It was such a welcome surprise after struggling to find decent coffee throughout our trip. The only downside is that they’re not open every day, so we felt very lucky to catch them on the day we were leaving. Also, bonus points for being open earlier than most other places in Japan, which usually don’t open till 10 or 11am. Highly recommend stopping by if...

Best coffee in Mount Koya (Koyasan). Opens early at 7.30am (as opposed to other coffee shops which opens at 9am) and it was near where we stayed in Saizenin. Had their French toast too, was a nice change from the food we had had our accommodation. As the shop keeper is the only one making coffee and toast, it can get a little slow, but hey, if you are on a vacation, there’s no rush at all.

Highly...

Coming from Sydney our coffee standards are very high. I was dubious that coffee with cute pictures on top could also taste good. I was delighted however. The coffee is excellent and the pictures are made BY HAND! The owner/barista is a true artist, and very proud of his coffee. French toast was a hit with kids (and parents). Not too sweet like it often is.

Note: You only get a picture on a...