While I was in Tokyo this time, I encountered this little coffee stand in Kagurazaka called Donish Coffee Company. Japan generally has a great specialty coffee landscape and culture, but I was perhaps looking for a cup of coffee that had genuine sincerity and could open my eyes. One can only hope; it's quite hard to find that kind of cup of coffee.
I didn't know what to expect, but the blend named after the neighborhood was interesting, and that became my cup of cafe latte. It was a coffee I had never had before. To put it into perspective, I went to a specialty coffee roaster/cafe in Kyoto last year, and that came to me more as an "interesting" coffee. This one from Donish was a surprise. As someone who "doesn't like light roast," this lighter roast blend was aromatic and had its own complexity, with a hint of flowers instead of being just bright or sour. While I was having this great coffee, a gentle breeze was blowing, and everyone around the stand was quietly enjoying their own cup of coffee. All of that made the moment a memorable experience in the middle of a bustling city.
I knew I had to: I bought a bag of Kagurazaka Blend on my way back, and the coffee I made with those beans brought back those memories again. I might try buying the beans through a forwarding shipper from Japan to America. At the very least, I'll have to get more when I'm back next year.