Hello everyone, hope you’re having a wonderful day! ☆
This is Yuzu, a writer for Sarukuma 🌻

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a charming spot located in Nishi-Tojin-machi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City:
Coffee Kairo (Coffee Gallery) ☆

Tucked away in the historic Tojin-machi district, where traces of old Kumamoto streetscapes still linger, you’ll find Coffee Kairo ☕️
Modern, stylish, and absolutely charming! 🥰

The cafe is set in a beautifully renovated machiya townhouse that’s over 120 years old!

The Japanese-modern aesthetic is simply stunning ❤️
And good news for visitors: there are plenty of coin-operated parking lots in the surrounding area 🚗

Now, let’s step inside — here we go!
The moment you walk in, you’re greeted by wooden barrels overflowing with coffee beans!

Around 20 varieties from 11 different countries are available,
and once you order, the green beans are roasted fresh on the spot!

I’ve never seen so many beans in one place 😆
The rich aroma of roasting coffee even drifts out onto the street ☆

Inside the shop, you’ll also find a curated selection of coffee equipment for sale ☆

They also sell bottled iced coffee and drip coffee packs, so you can enjoy Coffee Kairo’s signature flavors at home too ☆

Let’s start with the drink menu ☆

The Coffee Jelly Milk appears to be a limited-time seasonal offering ☆
It’s hard to see in the photo because of the glare, but their Cold Brew is
slow-extracted with cold water ☆
Cold brew has been popping up everywhere lately.

Apparently, it’s all the rage in New York right now ☆

Next up, the wagashi (Japanese sweets) menu!
Every wagashi is handcrafted by an in-house pastry chef!

This is a place where you’re meant to pair coffee with traditional Japanese sweets 😍
I’ve recently become obsessed with anko (sweet red bean paste), so this menu is heaven for me 🥰

They also have monaka (crispy wafer sandwiches filled with sweet bean paste) ☆

And good news for international visitors — they accept a wide range of payment methods 👍

The interior is just gorgeous throughout ☆

There are even seats with a view of a traditional Japanese garden!
That’s where I settled in this time 😆

Recommended Menu Picks

This time, I went with:

Drip Coffee — 400 yen
Fig Wagashi — 440 yen

Both were absolutely delightful 🥰

The coffee of the day was Kilimanjaro 😃
I’m no coffee expert, but it was incredibly smooth and easy to drink ☆

The fig wagashi uses a whole fig,
layered with white bean paste on the outside and wrapped in mochi-like skin ☆

The bean paste isn’t overly sweet, and the wrapper has a chewy, gentle texture 🥰
It’s truly a luxurious treat!

And let me tell you,

coffee + Japanese sweets is an unbeatable combination

!!!!!

Don’t you just love how stylish the wagashi plate looks? 🥰
They use tableware from “OPEN STUDIO” ☆

I couldn’t help myself, so I also grabbed some ohagi (sweet rice balls coated with bean paste) and daifuku (mochi stuffed with bean paste) to go ☆
And yes, drinks are available for takeout as well 😍

The cafe is stroller-friendly,
and during my visit, I saw other families with kids enjoying their time too!

Definitely worth adding to your Kumamoto travel itinerary! 😆

Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before visiting.