This month's #KurasuPartnerRoaster is Renshiro Coffee from Miyazaki. Based in Miyazaki City, Renshiro Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster built around the concept of “Normalizing the fact that coffee is a fruit.” The name “Renshiro” comes from the son of the owner, Tanaka-san, and the character “恋” (meaning "love") is taken from Koigaura, the coastal hometown of the owner. A former surfer, Tanaka-san used to be a local leading figure in the Koigaura surf scene, known for protecting and preserving the surf points there. After stepping away from his long surfing career, he opened Renshiro Coffee in 2015. In the interview, Tanaka-san shared his story and the coffee philosophy he holds dear.
Tanaka-san first encountered specialty coffee around 2010. A senior acquaintance who was starting a local coffee shop let him try a light roast Ethiopian coffee, and its fruity flavor stunned Tanaka-san. While helping out with his family's guesthouse business, Tanaka-san frequently visited VOILA COFFEE in Kagoshima and And Coffee Roasters in Kumamoto to study coffee, eventually opening his own shop in 2015.
Tanaka-san gave up surfing—something he had passionately pursued—because he felt a deep, intuitive connection between surfing and coffee. The keyword for him is “fluidity.”
“Surfing is unique among sports because the 'ground' is constantly moving. And it's created by nature—you’ll never encounter the exact same wave twice in your life,” says Tanaka-san.
Coffee, too, is a product of nature. The green beans and the roasting process are in constant flux.
“As roasters, we aim to create the best cup within that constant movement. Strictly speaking, no two cups are ever exactly the same—there will always be subtle differences.”
It’s this ever-changing nature and the pursuit of excellence through skill that resonated with Tanaka-san’s sensibilities. The thrill of catching a great wave and crafting a great cup of coffee feel very similar to him- “they’re really alike,” Tanaka-san smiles.
In the ten years since opening his shop, Tanaka-san has remained committed to his style—continuing to offer light roast coffee. He admits that light roast is still not widely accepted in Miyazaki.
“Many people here have never tried it before. So first and foremost, we just want them to taste it.”
Looking ahead, he hopes to help develop the local coffee culture by inviting guest baristas and participating in competitions. When it comes to flavor creation, Tanaka-san focuses on crafting a clean cup from roasting to brewing. We hope you enjoy the natural fruitiness of his coffee as much as we do.
