“Welcome!”
As you open the door, you are greeted with a smile by the master couple along with pleasant jazz music.
In Yata, Mabi, there is a café where you can enjoy soothing music and fragrant coffee.
The name of that café is “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma.”
The master, who loves movies and music, brews coffee carefully and diligently, while his wife serves customers with a smile and quick movements.
We will introduce the comfort of this jazz café in Mabi, which resumed operations after overcoming the heavy rain disaster in July 2018, along with its richly aromatic coffee!
What is “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma”?
The café “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma,” loved for a long time in Mabi, opened in May 1980.
The master, with over 45 years of coffee experience, brews delicious coffee every day, and the couple serves sandwiches and drinks with care.
With a vacuum tube amplifier and handmade speakers playing records, and a plethora of stacked books, this café offers a unique coffee and atmosphere that you can only experience here.
However, due to the heavy rain disaster in July 2018, the store and residence were submerged up to 5.3 meters on the second floor.
Immediately after the disaster, the Takamoto couple thought, “It will be difficult to resume operations,” but encouraged by the regular customers asking, “When will you reopen?” they remodeled the store and reopened on May 12, 2019.
The bright interior filled with sunlight
Before the heavy rain disaster in July 2018, the interior was brightened, and a renovation was carried out to preserve the atmosphere before the disaster as much as possible by keeping usable items.
Thanks to the fans and acquaintances from all over the country who learned about the disaster, the shelves are now filled with books and records.
The sound equipment, including speakers, was reportedly rebuilt by the original creator.
The interior, filled with gentle jazz, is relaxing and comfortable.
Taste the special coffee brewed by a master with over 45 years of coffee experience
▼ The menu of “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma” is as follows.
Prices are as of February 2020 during the interview
| Menu Item | Price (including tax) |
|---|---|
| Gojitoma Blend Coffee | 400 yen |
| Gojitoma 45th Blend | 500 yen |
| ICE Coffee | 400 yen |
| HOT/ICE Café au Lait | 500 yen |
| Showa Mix Juice | 500 yen |
| Guatemala Medina | 500 yen |
| Costa Rica Honey | 500 yen |
| Tea (Blend) | 400 yen |
| Sandwich | 500 yen |
| Toast | 250 yen |
| Cake | 450 yen |
My recommendation is the “Gojitoma 45th Blend,” which is characterized by its deep flavor.
Before having his own café “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma,” the master worked at a historic café called “Tsukiji,” which was founded in 1934 in Kyoto Prefecture.
Additionally, the master used to visit “Inoda Coffee, Sanjo Branch in Kyoto” as a customer, where he was served “the coffee that left a strong impression on him.”
For the master of Gojitoma, Akio Harada from “Tsukiji” is his coffee mentor, and Akira Inoda from “Inoda Coffee” is his coffee god.
With the meaning of dedicating this to these two individuals, he created an original blend that can only be made now.
The “Gojitoma 45th Blend” was created with the cooperation of the roasting workshop “caferico” in Okayama City, Minami Ward.
The coffee beans undergo chemical changes during the roasting process, bringing out distinctive bitterness, acidity, and aroma.
Depending on the degree of roasting, different finishes such as “dark roast, medium roast, and light roast” are produced, and even the same coffee beans can have significantly different flavors.
The “Gojitoma 45th Blend” is a dark roast coffee.
I enjoyed it with a sandwich filled with fluffy sweet omelet.
The deep roast, characterized by its bitterness, has a good balance of acidity and sweetness, and the aroma is elegant, making it a special cup that brings comfort.
Additionally, the combination of fragrant toast and coffee is also recommended.
The sweet aroma of butter and the bitter aroma of coffee waft together, enhancing each other and stimulating the appetite.
The toast comes in two varieties: plain and with walnuts.
The butter seeps into the bread, and when you take a bite, the sweetness spreads on your tongue.
The medium roast blend coffee, with a good balance of acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, has a refreshing aftertaste and is easy to drink.
Forgetting the hustle and bustle, enjoying coffee time slowly is a great way to heal the fatigue of everyday life.
Next, I spoke with the master of “COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma,” Takamoto Akihide, about how they have been able to continue the café for a long time and his thoughts on resuming operations after the disaster.
Data on COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma
| Name | COFFEE HOUSE Gojitoma |
|---|---|
| Address | 748-4 Yata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-698-6225 |
| Parking | Available 15 cars |
| Business Hours | Saturday, Sunday, Monday 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, National Holidays Check the store's Facebook for business days. |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation | Available |
| Seating | Counter: 5 seats, Tables: 20 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Gojitoma |
