“What kind of coffee do you guys serve?” “Today we have 16 varieties.”

Arise Coffee Roasters isn’t like most cafes you’ll encounter. You might even be challenged to call it a cafe at all. This one-room business’ space is mostly taken up by a medium sized Fuji Royal Coffee Roaster and stacks of burlap coffee bags. There is a certain raw chaos to the space that makes it feel very intimate, like you’ve stumbled into your grandfather’s cluttered workshop or your friend’s art-studio. But Arise isn’t a private workspace or some secret spot. Arise is a cafe and roaster open to the public with a steady following of locals and coffee tourists.

Arise is located in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, a seemingly quiet town with an excess of drab concrete buildings. However, Kiyosumi is actually a vibrant place full of people who care about their community and their peers. The owner of Arise Coffee Roasters, Hayashi Taiju, has cemented his place into this community and wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, the community of Kiyosumi was a huge part of Hayashi’s decision to open Arise.

The beautiful mess that is Arise Coffee Roasters

You’ve never seen a roaster like Arise Coffee Roasters

Hayashi has worked in the coffee industry for 16 years now. He started his career at a wholesale coffee roaster where he spent 10 years. When he began to yearn for a connection to the people who were drinking his coffee he moved on to Cream of the Crop Coffee where he was able to interact with customers but still continue roasting. It was there that he made a deeper connection to the people in nearby Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and there where his customers encouraged him to open his own shop.

Hayashi opened Arise in 2013 because he wanted to bring quality coffee to the town he loved. A roaster at heart, Hayashi wanted to sell his beans and introduce people to types of flavors they may have not encountered before. Though Arise does serve expertly prepared pour-overs, its main purpose is to sell beans for home use. Hayashi says he wants people to use his beans as they like, for people to enjoy good coffee at home and not just at cafes. Nothing makes him happier than when customers return with comments and reactions to the coffee they bought from him.

Arise Coffee Entangle

Barista at work at Arise Coffee Entangle

Though expansion wasn’t one of his goals for Arise, customers often mentioned that they would like a space to sit and enjoy their coffee with others. When one of Hayashi’s old friends suggested that they partner to open a cafe space within Kiyosumi, Arise Coffee Entangle was born. Arise Coffee Entangle is a brew bar about a 10 minute walk from the roaster with plenty of space for enjoying your coffee. It also stays true to the spirit of Arise Coffee Roasters, being both a hub for the community and still having its own interesting and funky charm.

One thing that separates Arise from other cafes is the breadth of their selection. At anytime there are between eight and 16 types of unique coffee beans to choose from and they are ever changing. The passion for coffee that Hayashi feels coaxes him to always try new beans from new places, so you as a customer will never be bored. Not that you would get bored by the flavors in a cup of coffee from Arise. Most coffees are roasted to bring out the potential of the bean. Some coffees are juicy with fruitiness (Hayashi’s favorite), while others are reminiscent of red wine. Some are similar to a cup of Ceylon tea, while others are ripe with dark chocolate. There’s really something for everyone.

If you find yourself near Kiyosumi-Shirakawa be sure to visit Arise Coffee Roasters or Arise Coffee Entangle (or both). There is a lot of coffee to be found in the area, so you could easily make an afternoon of it. Why not go for a Coffee Walk?

Arise Coffee Entangle

Arise Coffee Entangle

Arise Coffee Roasters

ARiSE Coffee Entangle is located at: 3-1-3 Koto, Kiyosumi, Tokyo

Open 9:30AM to 6:00PM, Closed Mondays

ARiSE Coffee Roasters is located at: 1-13-8, Koto, Hirano, Tokyo

Open 10:00AM to 6:00PM, Closed Mondays