Kimi Natural 73+cafe — Restaurant in Tokyo

I got to meet Taka-san on my first trip to Japan, and was able to visit his cafe that was referenced in a magazine.

Unable to speak Japanese and under-informed about Japanese culture, I was nervous and anxious about communicating and expressing myself and my love for coffee. So I decided it was best to order the first item, a drip coffee, on the list and quietly learn and experience anything I can garner by drinking the coffee. However, I was lucky to have came in on a Sunday and Taka-san broke down all barriers, linguistic and cultural, and engaged with me using coffee as Google translate - he made a recommendation on one of his specially co-fermented with lychee and roasted beans, and brewed me a cup. Even when warmly welcomed by the staff and by an even greater enthusiasm from Taka-san, I stared anxiously at the freshly brewed cup of coffee was afraid to take the first sip, fearing that my foreign palate would not be able to understand the language of a craftsman. But with Taka-san’s reassuring presence and excitement, my lips braved the edge of the cup and my worries waned with every sip - it was wonderful and warm. The floral and fruity notes embraced my palate as my body relaxes and; the artistry of and curiosity about the brew flood my mind as it wanders off. It was like what was written on the description card of the coffee - it is coffee that tastes not like coffee. Fueled by amazement and aw, I tried to find the simplest of words to respond to Taka-San when he asked how the coffee tastes, and just like Taka-san’s brightness: “the coffee was one of a kind, something I have never experienced before.” Taka-san then retreated away and allowed me the privacy (and privilege) for the rest of coffee enjoyment: my soul melted and reshaped again and again as I savor the nectar of the drip coffee. And even during the last moments before I departed the cafe, Taka-San continued to exchange wisdoms with me as I bought two of his special beans, asked him for advice of brewing, and promised him that I will work hard to become skillful enough to recreate a brew so beautiful. With bittersweetness, I said goodbye to Taka-san and his staff, but with fervent hopes and dreams of continuing my coffee journey as I look forward to staying connected with Taka-san via his coffee beans and his craft.

I cannot wait to come back to Japan, to pay the cafe many more visits, and hopefully to be able to exchange wisdoms with Taka-San again, but with fewer barriers, and of course,...

An interesting cafe that's a bit on the expensive side. There are English translations on the menu. If you want to sit in a private room with tatami mats, you must order 1 drink AND 1 food item per person. For 2 adults, this came to around 2600 yen. The matcha pudding was rich and delicious. The red bean and butter toast was yummy and had interesting textures - it seemed like the bread was chewy from being microwaved. The matcha latte was smooth and not too sweet. You must take your shoes off. Slippers...

The vibe here was great. I only had the soy scone and Americano, but they were both great. I would have preferred butter with the scone, but it’s on me for not asking. Atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming but there is a bit of an echo so perhaps be aware if you’re sensitive to noise. More of a relaxing with friends environment than a book and coffee environment. Great place, I definitely want to visit again and try the other...