Mornings in Karuizawa Town unfold gently.
The light, the breeze, the dappled sunlight… all of it brings a clear sense of tranquility deep into your heart.
Mornings in Karuizawa Town unfold gently.
The light, the breeze, the dappled sunlight… all of it brings a clear sense of tranquility deep into your heart.
About a 15-minute drive from Karuizawa Station.
Passing through a quiet residential neighborhood, there is a place that breathes quietly, surrounded by tall trees.
With an exterior resembling a small mountain cabin, “MzCOFFEE Lab” is unassuming yet exudes a distinct presence.
Rather than a space designed for tourists, it simply exists here in quiet repose.
Opening the door to this special atmosphere—as if invited into someone’s secret studio—you are enveloped by the aroma of roasted beans, making you want to breathe it in deeply.
A cup of coffee here is more than just a luxury. It’s an experience that reflects the atmosphere of the day, the rhythm of your breath, and the state of your mind in that very moment.
What the warmth of the palm conveys
Watching Mr. Matsumoto brew espresso by hand over the counter, I find myself strangely calming down.
It’s not the steady pressure of a machine, but a rich liquid slowly forced out by the strength of his palm.
That pace, that timing, that focus.
“The air feels a bit lighter today, doesn’t it?”
Saying this as he selects the beans, he creates a cup born from a delicate world where he subtly adjusts the recipe every morning, as if reading the weather, humidity, and even the mood of the day.
In Karuizawa, a place where nature’s expression changes little by little each day, the flavor—blended to reflect the atmosphere of that particular day—leaves a mysterious aftertaste even after I’ve finished drinking, quietly tuning my senses.
In that aftertaste, I always find myself realigning my own contours.
The Barista: Sharing Karuizawa Through the Five Senses
When talking about MzCOFFEE Lab, one cannot overlook the presence of Mr. Matsumoto, who is both the owner and a barista.
The sound of the grinder turning gently, the fingertips pouring milk, the graceful movements as he places a cup on the counter, and his voice as he speaks slowly, choosing his words carefully.
A conversation that likely began with a casual remark eventually leads, before you know it, to the path he has walked and his perspective on this town.
Living in Karuizawa, the scents that shift with the seasons, the “quality” of time accumulated in this land…
As we exchange words over coffee, I find myself drawn into the owner’s personality and worldview before I even realize it.
In our busy, fast-paced daily lives, time—which we often tend to fast-forward through—mysteriously returns to its natural pace here.
The warmth of the cup in my hand, the swaying of the trees outside the window, the aroma of freshly roasted beans.
It feels wonderful to have each of my five senses gradually satisfied.
By the time I finish my cup of coffee, I realize I’ve begun to carefully consider how I want to spend the rest of my day.
For me, MzCOFFEE Lab is a place that brings about these small, meaningful changes.
The shop featured on this blog
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MzCOFFEE Lab
5543-4 Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano 389-0111
[Hours] Tue–Sat: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
[Closed] Sun & Mon
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