A Cup of Nakamura Coffee: Cafe Review Imabari

A Cup of Nakamura Coffee: Cafe Review Imabari

“A Cup of Nakamura Coffee” is a bicycle themed cafe not far from the top of the Imabari Ginza. It has a relaxed atmosphere, great coffee, some simple meals, and daily baked goods. The English translation of the menu makes it an ideal stop for tourists passing through Imabari. My wife and I go at least every few weeks and I usually find myself with a rich hot chocolate and a slice of baked cheesecake.

Nakamura-san

The owner and manager of the establishment is Nakamura-san: a young guy who I believe is in his mid-twenties. While not fluent in English, he speaks enough to make you feel welcome, take your order, and ask about where you’re from.

On the website for “A Cup of Nakamura Coffee”, Nakamura-san describes his cafe. “A bright and friendly coffee shop where you can stop by. The drink menu has a focus on espresso, and there are snacks and homemade sweets.” He finishes “The shop is full of the playfulness of a bicycle lover named Nakamura.”

Nakamura became interested in running his own cafe as early as junior high school. During university he took some courses and learned the basics of coffee making. Then, when he returned to Imabari after university he did some work experience and trained under one of the best coffee makers in Ehime to prepare for opening his own business.

He opened “A Cup of Nakamura Coffee” on October 1st, 2016. He informed me that this was International Coffee Day. Although I had my doubts, this is actually a thing.

First Impressions of A Cup of Nakamura Coffee

The first time I walked into “A Cup of Nakamura Coffee”, I knew it was my kind of place. It’s not that I am interested in cycling, although the cycling theme is quite obvious. The first thing that caught my attention was the full-sized, framed movie posters on the walls. Posters of Leon, Dancer in the Dark, and Pan’s Labyrinth were enough to make a good impression on this independent and festival film lover. I immediately knew that the owner of this cafe would be someone I would get on with and that this would be a place I could relax and feel comfortable. And I wasn’t wrong.

I wandered into Nakamura Coffee a few weeks after it opened and had the opportunity to chat with Nakamura-san about what it was like to open a business. It was so refreshing to see a young guy opening his own business instead following the herd into a job in a corporation. I was also happy that the Ginza was being used. It’s a bit of a sad sight walking along the Imabari Ginza with all the shuttered stores.

The layout of the cafe

One of the things I really like about Nakamura Coffee is the way that it is set out. There is a line of two-person tables running the length of the bar. Far enough apart to not feel intruded upon by the table next to you, but close enough that a larger group could spread themselves over a few tables. There is also a larger booth at the back of the shop which seats six. The thing that I really like about the layout is that each table is not partitioned off in the way that most Japanese cafes are. This makes it easy to strike up a conversation with the people sitting around you and I’ve met a few interesting groups of people already this way. The atmosphere of Nakamura seems to lend itself to this more open and casual style. 

Why no Tea?

There are many reasons to recommend “A Cup of Nakamura Coffee”. The one drawback I can think of is that there is not quite enough choice for the non-coffee drinker. His menu is espresso-focussed and that is obviously his passion. But I think there need to be a few more non-caffeinated options.

I am a non-coffee drinker myself, but when I go to a cafe, something I only get to do once a week, I will indulge myself and don’t mind having a hot chocolate, a soft drink, or a fruit smoothie. I can imagine that someone who is a little more health conscious might struggle to find something to drink. In fact I have a good friend and work mate who likes going there, but without a tea option there is nothing for her to drink.

There are a lot of tea drinkers out there. And though coffee has a passionate following, I believe that tea does as well. I can’t help but think that the cafe’s issue with non or low caffeine options would be sold if he offered a small range of teas.

Finally an independent cafe.

A lot of the cafes in Japan are national or international chains. Here in Imabari  we have St Mark’s, Komeda’s Coffee, Early Bloomer, and Starbuck’s. Not only are these cafes ultimately the same as each other, the trend here in Japan, which is true for restaurants as well as cafes, is to have your table partitioned off from the others by walls or sliding doors. Because of this I felt so much joy when I entered Nakamura’s Coffee for the first time and I saw some decor that was a bit different. Not only was it refreshingly different from any other cafe in the area, but it was obviously a reflection of Nakamura-san’s personality. This was something I see far too little of in Japan in general. Exacerbated no doubt by the fact that I live in a fairly conservative small town. It was also great to see a lay-out that encouraged conversations between tables. Generally a far better coffee experience.

What are some of your favourite cafes?

Are you in Japan? If so, do you know of any great independent cafes? Please share them in the comments. Here in Imabari there is “A Cup of Nakamura Coffee” as well as another cool independent cafe with great coffee and homemade cakes: “Barrel Coffee and Roasters”. Barrel is a bit further out from the city centre. There’s another cafe further down the Ginza called “Warm”, but I haven’t made it in there yet.

If you’re not in Japan, don’t be shy. I’d still love to hear about your favourite cafes. I miss Espressoholic and Midnight Espresso in Wellington, New Zealand.