It ranks fourth in the world in terms of coffee consumption. Japan is a coffee powerhouse, ranking 12th in the world in terms of per capita consumption. Consumption has grown even further in recent years, reaching a record high, as a result of Seven-Eleven's offering of freshly ground coffee called Seven Café!

Convenience store coffee is good for a quick drink, but sometimes don't you just want to relax and have a cup of coffee at a "coffee shop", which has developed uniquely in Japan and created the Japanese coffee culture? This time, amongst several famous coffee shops in Niigata City, I went to Chamonix, a genuine coffee shop known as a long-established home-roasted coffee shop! We visited the Kami-Ookawa-mae branch!

As soon as you go by the side of Niigata University of International and Information Studies Niigata Chuo Campus, you will see a black building and a banner that reads 'Coffee'. This is Chamonix.

As soon as you enter the entrance, you will see a bean sales area. Many varieties are lined up! Half of the shop's customers use the coffee shop and half come to buy beans.

Proceeding straight into the shop, you will find a nice atmosphere, just like a retro café.

The shop even has a roasting machine, a green bean storage room and a sorting room where the beans are sorted.

Soya Bean Storage

Good quality green coffee beans from all over the world. The coffee beans are roasted in the shop, so they are extremely fresh. The roasting machine is kept running in the morning, so the shop is filled with a fragrant aroma.

Coffee is carefully brewed in a siphon, one cup at a time!

When you take your seat... Hmm? And this table?

Oh my! Coffee beans under glass! Stylish~!

The most popular is the shop's original Chamonix Blend. On the menu list.

Colombian Supremo 5, Brazilian Santos 3, Guatemalan Antigua 2. The taste is Central American, with the characteristics of Supremo tempered by Santos and complemented by Guatemala. The flavour and aroma are balanced, with a strong bitterness and a strong full-bodied taste, which is mild.

The following is a list of the most common reasons for this.

I don't know if this poor tongue of mine can discern such flavours. ？？？？

Yes!

I don't know (laughs) but it's delicious! I love coffee!

Of course, you can also enjoy toast. Bitter coffee goes well with freshly-baked, hot and thick toast. On a personal note, I quit smoking in July. Until then I thought coffee and cigarettes were the most wonderful combination in the world, but when I quit smoking I realised a different side of coffee. I thought the combination of something bitter and something sweet and delicious was the best thing in the world. Yes, I am steadily getting fatter.

I still don't understand the depth and taste of coffee, but I think it is worth the time to relax and rest in the atmosphere of this shop.

Dedicated to home roasting in Niigata for 40 years. The Kami-Ookawa-mae branch opens at 7am. Please enjoy "Breakfast in Chamonix" in the mood of Audrey Hepburn!

In addition, the Furumachi branch, located in Furumachi 5, also uses beans roasted every morning at the Kami-Okawa-mae branch.

Shop information

Chamonix Kami-Okawa-mae shop

• Address: 7-1235 Kami-Ookawa-mae, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
• Opening hours/Weekdays 7:00-19:00, public holidays 10:00-19:00.
• Closed/Sunday
• TEL／025-222-0730
• Number of seats/70
• Website: http://www.geocities.jp/chamonix_coffee/

Old Town Store

• Address: 5-591 Furumachi, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
• Opening hours 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
• Closed: No.
• tel: 025-228-7189
• http://www.niigata-furumachi.jp/?p=1430