Introduction
Think of your favorite coffee. What do you see? Is it a cup filled nearly to the top with some americano from your favorite store?
Or maybe it could be some Cappuccino, with a touch of cinnamon. Or… I know… Is that an espresso with a heartwarming aroma and an angelic taste?
Well, only you can answer that question! But I will tell you what you didn’t think of. You didn’t think of a handful of blueish coffee berries!
And the reason you didn’t, is because there is no magic in that. Because regardless of variety and drying method, coffee is nothing but a berry until roasted.
And this is what we will talk about today! We will talk about a roastery all the way to the east in Fukuoka, Japan!
Its name is Tokado coffee (豆香洞コーヒー), and it’s run by a master of fire, who can transform any bag of uncooked coffee, to one of the most unique cups you have ever tried.
Interested to know more?
Coffee Roasting
Before discussing the road of Tokado coffee up to today, however, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to make a brief explanation of what coffee roasting actually is.
We have already made an article discussing roasting in general, highlighting its most important characteristics, which you can find here if you are interested.
For those that are unfamiliar with a coffee bean’s journey to their cup, one could really be shocked at how much the roasting process can impact their experience of their favorite drink!
Naturally, after harvested and dried, raw coffee beans are green to light turquoise and smell nothing like the end result. It is only after “entering the oven” that they get their brown color and release their latent taste and aromas.
The reason this procedure is more complicated than it sounds comes from the fact that there are dozens of roasts one can choose based on their coffee beans’ variety, drying process, and brewing method.
On top of that, there are several roasting methods, each with its own unique nature and benefits.
For example, there is Drum roasting, the most commonly used method, is the cheapest and fastest way of roasting. There is however Sumiyaki Roasted coffee as well ( link “Sumiyaki” https://japanesecoffeeco.com/blogs/japanese-coffee-blog/what-is-special-about-charcoal-sumiyaki-coffee-roasting) which heavily relies on the roaster’s experience and is pretty slow compared to other methods. But when done right it can shoot the drinker’s experience through the roof.
As one can see from this very brief introduction to roasting, it is more than just baking coffee beans. And this is where Naoki Goto from Tokado Coffee enters the stage!
Who is Naoki Goto and How was Tokado Coffee Born?
Naoki Goto was born in 1975 in Yokohama city and bred up in Fukuoka. His relationship with coffee as he has stated in an interview was not what you would expect of a global-scale coffee roaster, up until the age of 25.
Until then he worked for an event company and as he claimed he would drink up to 6 cans of coffee a day. And that’s it. That was his complete touch with coffee.
A friend, however, who worked in a coffee shop at the time drew his interest, and experimentally suggested that he should try to roast some beans at home, as this was cheap and intriguing and not too hard at all.
So, Mr. Goto grabbed a pan and what he discovered was just how interesting it could be to bake coffee beans. And after just a few times, he put a goal in his mind and decided he would become a professional coffee roaster by the age of 30.
Two years after that decision, and after consistent and diligent practice at home, he participated in a seminar held in Tokyo and was absolutely shocked by his low level at the time. He visited several infamous stores there and kept being fascinated by the extremely high quality and attention to detail that was put. All that was new to him despite the past two years of trial and exploration.
At the age of 29, he decided that it was high time to take his skill to the next level and started working at the long-established “Café Bach” in Tokyo, under Mamoru Taguchi, also known as “the legend of Roasting” in Japanese coffee and the chairman of SCAJ (link “SCAJ” https://japanesecoffeeco.com/blogs/japanese-coffee-blog/specialty-coffee-association) since 2009.
Three years after learning and improving his skill set in his chosen path, in 2008 Mr. Goto opened his first store in Onojo city, in Fukuoka, named Tokado coffee and this is how one of the world’s best roasteries was born.
First Years of Tokado Coffee
When opening a coffee-related store, normally, one chooses a location where a lot of people pass daily, so that you can spread the name and get more traffic so as to expand faster.
But this wasn’t a typical coffee store, and the goal was different. It was a roastery, prioritizing quality and aiming to make the best coffee possible, and for that, equipment was more important than popularity.
And since chimneys and roasting machines couldn`t be installed in the city center, a more remote area was chosen, regardless of its drawbacks
With patience and consistent research and progress, however, Mr. Goto succeeded in increasing his customers, even if only one at a time, and was willing to take three to five years until the real traffic could begin.
In the meantime, he would participate in annual competitions as well, starting with the Japan Cup Tasters Championship in 2009, 2010, and 2012, the Roast Masters Championship in 2010, which he won, and the Japan Coffee Roasters Challenge of 2012 from which he also emerged victorious.
After winning the national tournament, he was tasked with representing Japan in the World roasting Championship of 2013, where he was crowned as the World’s best roaster!
It was that victory, as well as the path of constant improvement that earned him an invitation to the show “The world unknown to Matsuko” a few months after his victory.
This is where a lot of people learned about Tokado coffee and where the real traffic began in his store.
Tokado Coffee Today
At the moment there are two Tokado coffee stores, the one in Onojo city that is open since 2008, and another one in the Hakata Riverain Mall that has opened more recently.
Mr. Goto is still managing the stores and overseeing the quality of his products, and right now, there are dozens of varieties, roasted and sold in his stores.
Tokado coffee ships its products all over Japan currently, focusing on both cafeterias and individuals as well.
In terms of more recent pursuits, Mr. Goto helped Panasonic design a cutting-edge technology roasting machine, for roasting coffee at home.
The reason he agreed despite being a coffee roaster is, as he has stated, “Because his goal is to elevate the level of the entire industry”
A roastery has to serve both cafes and individuals and has to invest time in developing and experimenting with profiles. If one can explore different tastes at home, that means more great coffee overall, and this aligns with Mr. Goto’s goal.
The machine is controlled with a tablet and was released in 2017. It is still a pretty expensive piece of equipment, mainly targeting those who would like to experiment with roasting their own coffee without the years of training demanded.
I believe the future of coffee roasters is secured for now at least, and we will hear more of Tokado coffee sooner or later!
Conclusion
Think of your favorite coffee one more time for me. Did you think of the same thing as before? Is it the same image that popped into your mind?
Because for me, now I can visualize my favorite cup. But now I also recall the medium brown color of its bean. Its aroma when it’s poured in front of me and its texture when it touches my lips.
All that richness of experience is possible thanks to the roaster that mastered his art and turned these fine berries into my most beloved beverage.
This is the case for people like Naoki Goto and stores like Tokado coffee too. You can’t begin to describe how much it means for a coffee lover to have his hair stand still by the work put to make a cup like that.
I can’t wait for each and every single one of our readers to have an experience like that. And should you find yourself in Fukuoka, I think one stop at Tokado would be worth your while!
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese tea and coffee connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Coffee Co. and Japanese Green Tea Co., both part of Dream of Japan.
His journey began with a mission to introduce the world to the unparalleled quality of Japanese green tea. Through Japanese Green Tea Co., he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—an innovation that led to multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Building on this success and his passion for Japanese craftsmanship, Kei expanded into the world of coffee, pioneering the launch of Japanese Coffee Co., the first company to bring Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee to a global audience. His dedication to authenticity and quality ensures that this traditional Japanese roasting method, once a well-kept secret, is now enjoyed worldwide.
Beyond tea and coffee, Kei has also introduced Japan’s legendary craftsmanship to the world through Japanese Knife Co., making handmade katana-style knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time.
Kei’s journey continues as he seeks out and shares the hidden treasures of Japan, one cup and one blade at a time.
Learn more about Kei
