Enjoy specialty coffee brewed by world-class baristas at Higashibetsuin's "TRUNK COFFEE LAB".

TRUNK COOFFEE, a popular coffee roastery in Takaoka, Nagoya, opened a new store in Higashibetsuin to further pursue the appeal of specialty coffee.

We would like to introduce "TRUNK COFFEE LAB",  which has a different atmosphere and concept from the Takaoka main store.

Inside the store with the image of a factory

1 minute walk from Higashibetsuin Station on the Meijo Subway Line.

Let's go into the store now.

The deep store has large table seats and bench seats along the wall.

The exposed concrete walls and exposed pipes give an industrial impression. It seems that the design is based on the image of a factory.

Bench seats in front of the store are also available.

In the roasting space in the back of the store, you can see the roasting process.

Finding out more about coffee
Opening of TRUNK COFFEE LAB

This time, I would like to talk to a staff member Takuma Ishihara.

Mr. Ishihara won the Japan Cup Tasters 2022, a competition to determine the taste of coffee. I asked him in detail about his thoughts on the new store and his commitment to coffee.

-Why did you open "TRUNK COFFEE LAB", and what is the difference from the Takaoka main store?

Mr. Ishihara: “The main store is a Scandinavian-style cafe that was opened in 2014 to spread specialty coffee to Nagoya.

Therefore, the menu only deals with coffee. In addition to black coffee, the Higashibetsuin store offers arranged drinks using coffee that even those who don't like coffee can enjoy.

The reason why the store name has "LAB" is that we want to delve deeper into coffee. It's bigger than the main store, so it's easier to work, and there's a space to study coffee. ”

Mr. Ishihara: "Also, at the Higashibetsuin store, we display all of our products, and you can actually touch them.

Display raw beans before roasting and beans after roasting. You can enjoy seeing the differences between farms and refining methods.

-Did you move the roasting machine from the Takaoka main store?

Mr. Ishihara: “That’s right. With the introduction of a new roasting machine, we are now able to increase the amount of roasting. Trunk Coffee also wholesales coffee beans to the hotel “Nikko Style Nagoya” in Nayabashi and cafes. We would like to continue to deliver our coffee to many shops and customers. ”

Specialty coffees that they are particular about

Since its opening in 2014, Trunk Coffee has been sticking to the highest quality specialty coffee. The owner Yasuo Suzuki gained experience as a barista at a cafe in Denmark. I have been fascinated by the gorgeous taste of coffee in Northern Europe, and have been pursuing to convey a new coffee culture from Nagoya to Japan and the world.

There are always about 12 types of coffee beans in the store, which change according to the season. Only beans with high rarity value, which account for less than 5% of the world's total distribution volume, are handled. By lightly roasting, it is characterized by a refreshing taste with a fruity aroma and sweetness with a sour taste.

Our carefully selected coffee beans are made even more delicious by the skill of our baristas.

Mr. Ishihara: “At Trunk Coffee, we seek global standards. Many of our staff have participated in overseas events and competitions, and I think the appeal of Trunk Coffee is that we can create flavors that aim to be the best in the world.”

Mr. Ishihara, the reigning Japan Champion, failed to qualify for the competition he entered for the first time last year. After practicing hard for the past two years, he achieved his goal this year.

Mr. Ishihara: “In this competition, you check the taste of the coffee with your tongue, and by mastering this technique, you can check whether the roasting is going well and whether the coffee you have brewed is delicious. When it is not so good, you can change the roasting method or brewing method to produce better quality coffee.”

Introducing recommended menus

I asked Mr. Ishihara what he recommends for a first-time visitor to Trunk Coffee.

Mr. Ishihara: "I recommend Ethiopian natural process beans. It has a strong fruity flavor and is easy to drink. For those who have never tried light roast, I think it's a great first drink."

"Ethiopia Gedeb Gotiti Natural (650 yen)" has a flavor reminiscent of gorgeous and fresh red wine.

The coffee dripped carefully by Mr. Ishihara is the best! It has a very fruity taste and a gorgeous aroma spreads.

There are also cappuccinos and caffe lattes made with an espresso machine.

There are about 9 types of signature menus of arranged drinks limited to the Higashibetsuin store. This is a soda "Coffee Cherry Soda (600 yen)" that uses syrup made from boiled coffee berries.

The lineup is made with the hope that even those who are not good at coffee will discover the goodness of coffee.

The shop offers baked sweets from FIKAFABRIKEN in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. In addition to cookies, there are also cinnamon rolls and muffins that you can enjoy with coffee.

Plenty of coffee items

There are plenty of items to enjoy coffee at home, such as drippers and cups. The Higashibetsuin store is unique in that it has all kinds of  the items.

The owner, Yasuo Suzuki, has a wide range of preferences, and the ORIGAMI dripper he produces is one of them. Depending on the combination of filters, you can change the taste to your liking.

The ORIGAMI dripper not only looks cute but is also highly functional, and is a popular product that is used by top baristas overseas.

The “Sensory Flavor Cup”, which looks like a pot, is a cup that allows you to enjoy delicious coffee. It seems that the scent of coffee is confined by making buds.

When drinking, the widest part is designed to cover the nose, so you can enjoy the aroma as much as possible.

Creating a store that values communication

Many people come here, from those who visit Trunk Coffee for the first time to regular coffee lovers.

Ms. Ishihara: “There are still many customers who don’t know about “light roast”, so I think about what words to use to communicate so that they will like the coffee we serve. I think this is a store where all the staff can politely suggest beans that suit customers, such as flavors that match their mood at that time and new proposals.

I think the value of this shop is not only to enjoy delicious coffee, but also to enjoy everyday conversation. It doesn't matter if you just come and drink delicious coffee, and I want to make it a place where you can come and relax, being conscious of creating a comfortable store where you can enjoy the space. ”

Mr. Ishihara is training hard every day for the world competition to be held in Greece next year. Finally, I asked about the future.

Mr. Ishihara: "It's a competition for champions from all over the world, so I think the hurdles are very high, but I want to aim for the top. All the staff are working hard every day to achieve results in various competitions, and I'd like to hold staff-led seminars in the future, so I hope many people who want to study coffee will come."

At “TRUNK COFFEE LAB”, you will be captivated by the cups brewed by top-class baristas, including Mr. Ishihara. The perfect space is spreading to face coffee.