Morioka's coffee shop culture is firmly rooted in the city! Morioka's 7 Retro Coffeehouses and Cafes

  • Iwate
  • Eating
Inside "Tea House Liebe

Coffee, Coffee Shop and Morioka

Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture is said to be a town where "coffee culture and coffee shop culture take root" with many old-fashioned coffee shops. There are also many coffee shops selling coffee beans, and the city once had the second largest coffee consumption in Japan (according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Survey of Household Economy" (FY2028)). In this issue, our writer, who lives in Morioka, will introduce you to a variety of coffee shops, from those with the longest history in Morioka to coffee shops that are like hideouts and cafes that serve coffee with a special flavor.
Espresso at "Cappuccino Shiki

Special roasting machine is used! Nagasawa COFFEE, a popular coffee shop

Located about 10 minutes by car or 20 minutes on foot from Morioka Station, Nagasawa COFFEE purchases, roasts, and serves all of its green coffee beans. The aroma of coffee wafts from the open-air store, and customers come from outside Iwate Prefecture to visit this popular coffee specialty store.

As soon as you enter the store, you will see a large roasting machine. This is a special roasting machine imported from Germany, restored and customized by a specialized company, and made to "Nagasawa COFFEE" specifications.
*The following is a report from an interview conducted in March 2022.
Deep roasted coffee and NC cheesecake set
Roasting machine imported from Germany

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Coffee and Utsuwa Watanabe", a hideaway coffee shop in a back alley

About 10 minutes walk from Morioka Station. Coffee and Utsuwa Watanabe" is a hideaway coffee shop located on a back street a short distance from Ishikawa Takuboku's newlywed house.
When I arrived at the store, I saw a handwritten sign. This is a work of art designed by his wife, a ceramic artist, by processing an eraser stamp.

Most of the store was renovated by the couple over a period of about a month, and their works, including vessels, are also on display. Coffee beans are roasted at their family home in Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture. Why not enjoy a cup of bliss in this healing space?
*This is the content of the interview in March 2022.
Inside "Coffee & Utsuwa Watanabe
Handwritten signboard

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Morioka's oldest existing coffee shop "Cafe Mama

Founded in 1932, Café Mama, a 10-minute drive or 26-minute walk from Morioka Station, is a historic coffee shop celebrating its 90th anniversary. At the time of its founding, it attracted a wide range of customers and played a valuable role as a place to exchange information in an age without the Internet. You can also enjoy the store as a gallery, with exhibitions of paintings and other works being held inside.
*This is the content at the time of the interview in March 2022.
Cocoa at "Cafe Mama
Inside "Cafe Mama

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Tea House Liebe, a coffee shop that has been in business for half a century

A 20-minute walk from Morioka Station. Tea House Liebe was opened in 1971 as Morioka's first tea store. The exterior and signage are retro Showa-era, but once you enter the store, you are in a different world! The atmosphere is classical and elegant.

There is a wide variety of teas, and most of the standard menu items of a pure coffee shop are available! The menu book is still the same with warm handwritten menus. This coffee shop is loved by men and women of all ages.
*This is the content of the interview conducted in March 2022.
Tea House Ribe's daily lunch (11:30-15:00)
Inside "Tea House Ribe

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Tea and Tetsubin engawa" - a new encounter between Nambu ironware and coffee

Tea and Tetsubin engawa is a 10-minute drive or 25-minute walk from Morioka Station. Coffee is brewed by boiling water in an iron kettle made of Nanbu Tekki, a traditional craft made in Morioka City and Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture. Perhaps because the iron is dissolved in the water, the coffee has a smooth texture. The coffee beans are from "BOUND COFFEE" in Zaimoku-cho, Morioka City, which the master spent about a year to find.

The store also has an tetsubin (iron kettle) gallery. The dedicated staff will carefully explain how to use the tetsubin and various trivia related to tetsubin!
*This is the content of the interview in March 2022.
Coffee at "Tea and Tetsubin engawa
Inside "Tea House Ribe" (11:30-15:00)

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Ondine, a nostalgic coffee shop

A 15-minute walk from Morioka Station, the coffee shop "Ondine" is located on the second floor of a building in Morioka's representative downtown area, Morioka Main Street. The entrance to Ondine is a small light blue door on the book floor, past the bookstore on the first floor and up a flight of stairs.

The restaurant's signature dish is the traditional Neapolitan. The creamy tomato sauce is mixed with thick noodles, making it a hearty dish! More than half of the customers who visit Ondine order Neapolitan. The menu includes a salad, soup, and coffee, making it a very satisfying meal.
*This is the content at the time of the interview in March 2022.
Neapolitan cuisine at Ondine
Counter of "Ondine

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Cappuccino Shiki, a long-established coffee shop in front of Morioka Station for 40 years.

Cappuccino Shiki is a long-established coffee shop that opened in 1982. It is a coffee shop with a long history. When night trains used to stop at Morioka Station, it used to open at 6:30 a.m. to welcome customers arriving early in the morning. The large espresso pot out in front of the store was installed in imitation of old European streets where objects of what is served are hung instead of signs!

The signature menu items are espresso and cappuccino. We recommend ordering the chocolate banana toast to go with it! The sweetness of the ice cream and chocolate sauce goes very well with the coffee!
*This is the content of the interview in March 2022.
Exterior view of "Cappuccino Shiki
Choco Banana Toast at Cappuccino Shiki

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Cafe Jazz Kaiunbashi no Johnny" run by an owner fascinated by jazz music

Cafe Jazz Kaiunbashi no Johnny is located just across the Kaiun Bridge over the Kitakami River. It is a jazz cafe where you can enjoy coffee and drinks with jazz music recommended by the owner, Johnny, who is a big fan of world-famous jazz pianist Akiyoshi Toshiko. The store is decorated with various collections of records and posters of Akiyoshi Toshiko, who has been nominated for a Grammy Award 14 times. The interior has a retro atmosphere with a large pendulum clock, many stereos, a grand piano, and a gramophone.
Inside "Cafe Jazz Kaiunbashi no Johnny
The Morioka Bus Center also has the Akiyoshi Toshiko Jazz Museum, which was designed by the owner, Johnny! Akiyoshi Toshiko's collection is displayed here as well, and Cafe Bar West38 next door hosts live jazz performances every Saturday from 7:00 p.m.
*This is the content of the interview in January 2023.
Akiyoshi Toshiko JAZZ Museum

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Retro spaces in Morioka where coffee shop culture remains

In addition to long-established coffee shops that have been loved by locals for 40, 50, and 90 years, a new generation has begun to emerge that is bringing a new wind to Morioka's coffee shop culture. There may be fewer coffee shops than in larger cities, but there are many strong coffee shops with passionate policies, even if the stores are small in size! Why don't you go on a coffee shop tour in Morioka to enjoy the taste of each coffee shop?
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