This month’s #KurasuPartnerRoaster is TERRA COFFEE ROASTERS in Osaka. Located just a 7-minute walk from Esaka Station, the starting point of the Midosuji subway line that runs through Osaka, and near Esaka Park—a local oasis—TERRA is a specialty coffee roaster. With its name inspired by the word “terroir”, TERRA dedicate themselves to bring out the full potential of green beans and to offer a coffee experience where you can see the faces of the producers. We recently visited the roastery and spoke with their head roaster, Fukui-san. 
Fukui-san first discovered coffee in his final year of high school. Unsure of his future and seeking a practical skill, he was inspired by the instant coffee he drank daily and decided to give coffee a try. He started working part-time at Tully’s, and later, at coffee up! in Kobe, he was struck by his first specialty coffee latte.
Captivated by its fruity, light acidity, he immersed himself in the world of specialty coffee. He later joined CAFETALES in Osaka to gain hands-on experience, and through his regular visits to aoma coffee, he met Junpei Yamamoto san, who was helping launch TERRA COFFEE ROASTERS. This meeting led Fukui-san to join TERRA, where he honed his skills as a barista and roaster, eventually becoming head roaster after Yamamoto-san has left the team.
“I like coffee that flows smoothly and disappears before you even notice it,” Fukui-san says. Regarding sourcing, he notes: “We focus on light roasts, and what we want to express is acidity. The most important thing is whether the coffee has the acidity we want to bring out.” When roasting, he pays close attention to “structure,” referring to the cohesion of the liquid in the cup. Tasting the Kenyan coffee he brewed during our interview, it was clear that these concepts were beautifully expressed in the cup.
Looking ahead, TERRA plans to relocate its roastery to Tenjinbashisuji in Osaka by December. In addition to their current Loring S7 (7kg) roaster, they will introduce a Loring S15 (15kg), moving to a two-roaster system. Fukui-san reflects on a visit to Colombia: “Compared to large-scale roasters, we realized we couldn’t buy enough beans to make a difference at our current scale.” With the new roastery, TERRA aims to roast even more exceptional, traceable coffees, further highlighting producers and terroir, and bringing this experience to a wider audience.
