On the day of departure, I woke up at 5am to go to the airport. I only half-slept and nibbled on some airplane food. By 7pm, I arrived at the hotel, ravenously hungry. I went out for ramen, which took 20 minutes, and it was already 9pm. I realized I hadn't had coffee all day, and my friend wanted cake, so we strolled through Shinjuku. I happened to look up and saw "Coffee & Tea House Shu" was open until 1am. This coffee shop, established in 1953, has many branches, offering both savory and sweet items in a clean, traditional喫茶店 (kissaten) setting. The coffee was deeply satisfying. After a full day of travel, this cup of coffee brought a sense of peace, and a richness that only Siphon brewing can provide. After three years, and being someone who doesn't exercise much and sleeps late, my trip was destined to start with exhaustion… My first thought upon leaving my daily routine was to aim to brew a coffee that could settle such weariness.
