This month's #KurasuPartnerRoaster is MATSUBARA COFFEE from Shiga, a specialty coffee roaster located along the shores of Lake Biwa, a 10-minute walk from Biwako Hamaotsu Station. The large glass windows overlook Lake Biwa and Mount Hiei, allowing customers to enjoy coffee in a space that is at one with nature. The owner, Matsubara-san, opened MATSUBARA COFFEE in 2023 by renovating his parents' place, originally a boat rental shop.

Old oars and a ship’s wheel displayed on the wall fondly remind people of the good old days, giving the shop a minimalistic yet warm, sophisticated vibe. Matsubara-san welcomed us one quiet morning before they opened for the day, and shared their story as he served us a freshly brewed cup of Honduran coffee.

Matsubara-san’s first introduction to the world of coffee came when he joined the team at a hostel in Kyoto called Len, as one of their opening staff. While what attracted Matsubara-san to the job initially was the opportunity to talk to people from around the world, the Ethiopian coffee roasted by ONIBUS COFFEE Len’s cafe was serving at the time blew Matsubara-san’s mind.

“I was never a coffee drinker until then, but that really got me into coffee, and that’s why I switched to a barista position at Len”, Matsubara-san reflects. After 3 years of working as a barista, Matsubara-san decided to pursue his career as a coffee professional even further, and joined WEEKENDERS COFFEE where he was a regular customer. Luckily, they had an opening at their roasting position, and during the 3 years working there Matsubara-san gained experience in brewing and roasting, while witnessing the roastery's relocation and the changing of roasting machines, before he became independent in Otsu City, Shiga, in 2003.

Sweetness and clarity are what Matsubara-san values in his creation. “When I think about what coffee is the easiest for our customers to brew, I think of round sweetness. That’s why I chose Probat as my roaster- as well as the fact that roasting with Probat excites me,” Matsubara-san smiles. The very first roasting machine Matsubara-san used at WEEKENDERS was also a Probat, which might have affected his preference too.

Also popular at MATSUBARA COFFEE are the baked sweets made by Matsubara-san’s wife, Shoko-san. “We have a slightly unusual arrangement- I roast coffee I think is good, and she bakes sweets she thinks are good, and we do not try to make something to match the other,” Matsubara-san explains. They believe that it should be up to their customers how they want to pair their products, and many fans are finding this attitude appealing.

Matsubara-san wants to further enhance the coffee scene in Shiga Prefecture. Although there are still few specialty coffee shops, there are coffee lovers who travel to other prefectures in search of coffee. He expresses his desire to elevate the image of coffee in Shiga Prefecture while meeting that demand. Please visit the shop once and experience its charm.