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Discovering Kibune: A Tranquil Retreat in Kyoto, Japan

A Scenic Journey to Kibune Nestled in the mountains just north of Kyoto, Kibune offers a peaceful escape from the bustling city. To reach this charming village, we embarked on a scenic journey. From Kawaramachi Station, we took a train to Demachiyanagi Station. From there, a bus ride took us to Kibuneguchi Station, the gateway… Read more »

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French Press Coffee – James Hoffmann Style

New instructional video for my favourite French Press Coffee method; inspired by YouTube influencer and World Barista Champion James Hoffmann. French Press is an immersion method, different to percolating methods such as pour over coffee. It tastes similar to “cupping” which is reliably used to taste several coffees at the same time. I like to… Read more »

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Craft Coffee Stand Osaka Umeda

Craft Coffee Stand E-MA Building, Osaka Umeda I noticed a new coffee stand opened in the E-MA building in Umeda, Osaka, so I had to check it out. My review is as follows: Not bad for a very small coffee stand. Only one variety of coffee beans available. Reasonable price. Seating available in the Loftman… Read more »

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UCC Coffee Museum – Kobe, Japan

UCC Coffee Museum Learn the History of Coffee with Tasting included I heard about the UCC Coffee Museum through a blog post. It sounded like a good hands-on opportunity to further my knowledge in coffee production and tasting. I presumed there would be a cafe there too, but I was pleasantly surprised at the quality… Read more »

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Brooklyn Roasting Company – Namba

Brooklyn Roasting Company – Namba Brooklyn comes to Minami On a visit to Brooklyn Roasting Company in Kitahama, I noticed a blackboard at the front of the store advertising a new shop, Brooklyn Roasting Company – Namba. I thought it would be exciting to check out a new branch, so I set out during the… Read more »

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Namtastic Gourmet and Cafes

Namtastic Gourmet and Cafes In addition to Namtastic’s Top5 Specialty Coffee Cafes in Osaka, here you can find an introduction to cafes, coffee and gourmet culture in Japan. Namtastic’s Top5 Specialty Coffee Cafes in Osaka Takamura Wine and Coffee Roasters (Higobashi) Brooklyn Roasting Company Brooklyn Roasting Company Kitahama South Swell (Hommachi) Brooklyn Roasting Company Namba… Read more »

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Huawei Nexus 6P RAW Photo Test – Edited in Snapseed

This is a comparison of two photos taken on a Huawei Nexus 6P. One is a jpg straight out of the camera, and one was developed from a RAW file using the mobile app Snapseed. Since Android 5.0 Lollipop, Android phone cameras can take photos in RAW format. On the Nexus 6P, the default Google… Read more »

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MaoMaoTV – The Richest Ramen in Japan

MaoMaoTV – The Richest Ramen in Japan This was actually the first video I filmed with MaoMaoTV, Mao’s introduction to her favourite Ramen shop in Kyoto. Mao speaks in Chinese in the video, but she adds subtitles in English and Japanese in editing. I don’t understand Chinese, so while we were filming I didn’t really… Read more »

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PomPomPurin Cafe Osaka ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街

PomPomPurin Cafe Osaka ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街 If you’re looking for a fun cafe with a cuddly Japanese pudding character, look no further than the PomPomPurin Cafe in Umeda, Osaka. ポムポムプリンカフェ 梅田店 阪急三番街 PomPomPurin is a character created by Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty. I thought he was a big pudding who enjoyed eating himself, much like Anpanman. However,… Read more »