In the middle of bustling downtown Kyoto take a step back though the narrow alleyways. You think you're lost, but after a few misguided turns, you'll find Elephant Factory Coffee on the 2nd floor of an old commercial building - one of our favorite hangout spots in the city.

We discuss the often misunderstood distinction between single origin and blended coffees, a notion steeped (pun intended) in misdirection and confusion as wine vintages and the aging process of Scotch whisky.

Kissatens have deep rooted history in the Japanese coffee culture. I examine the differences and similarities between Kissatens and raise of the Third Wave coffee movement.

The Donut Dripper was designed by Torch's founder Nakabayashi Takayuki san who became disillusioned with the designs of current drippers while running his cafe in Gunma prefecture. Having a background in design, Takayuki san set out to design and create his own dripper, an improvement among conventional coffee drippers and product which would brew coffee to his own liking.

You’ve seen it in popping up in local cafes. Pour over  coffee, is the latest trend in the coffee industry. Despite its recent notoriety, this particular extraction method has been around for a long time. In Japan, it has been and continues to be the most popular way of making coffee at home and in coffee shops.

So what’s so special about pour over coffee and why should you pick up your first brew kit today?

Here is a list of the top 11 reasons you should start brewing pour over coffee: