Enchanting Architectural Cafe Spaces in Japan | Coffee Gallery & NIWA FUKUOKA

Sometimes when traveling, you encounter unexpected moments that aren’t part of your plans.
About six years ago in Seoul, I stumbled upon a coffee shop by chance, and that experience became the inspiration for this video.
It eventually led me to visit ’Coffee Gallery’, one of Kyushu’s most renowned cafés, and NIWA Fukuoka, a new café it produced and opened in July 2025.
Here, you can experience the beauty of Japanese architecture while enjoying carefully selected specialty coffee and refined matcha sweets.　ー

00:00 Introduction
00:29:21 Coffee Gallery
07:47:07 NIWA Fukuoka
09:17:03 Coffee & Matcha Pudding

珈琲回廊　Coffee Gallery
Located in the old town, the historic castle town of Kumamoto, Coffee Gallery is a roastery and café housed in a 120-year-old renovated townhouse.
With its black-toned Japanese interior, the atmosphere is calm and serene, inviting you to take your time and truly enjoy your coffee.
Another highlight is their desserts, mainly traditional Japanese sweets such as matcha confections, which perfectly complement the coffee.

This café is considered a must-visit when it comes to coffee in Kumamoto, and it is well-known across Kyushu, drawing visitors from overseas as well.

My first encounter with Coffee Gallery was actually in Seoul.
Back in 2019, during a trip, I stumbled upon their pop-up store. Even in a city renowned as a café capital, it stood out with a unique presence.
When I later discovered it originated from Kumamoto, I was both surprised and impressed.

Although I had always wanted to visit the original shop, nearly five years passed—until recently, when they opened a new location in Fukuoka, NIWA FUKUOKA.
That became the trigger for me to finally make my way to Kumamoto, to visit the origin of it all.

Nestled quietly in old town, the shop’s beautiful exterior immediately catches your eye.
And once you step inside, you are embraced by a calm, almost otherworldly atmosphere that you simply cannot find in the big city.
Savoring a cup of coffee here is bound to remain as a truly special experience.

OPEN everyday. 10:00　−19:00
https://www.instagram.com/coffeegallery.jpn/

NIWA FUKUOKA
A café of coffee and tea produced by Coffee Gallery
It opened in July 2025, in Ōhashi, Fukuoka.
The counter, slightly elevated like a stage, creates a striking centerpiece.
As you walk toward it, the space evokes the feeling of strolling over gentle hills—your gaze naturally extending outward, catching glimpses of the scenery and even a sense of the rooftop above.
The design allows you to experience the space itself as part of the café.

Another unique feature lies in the earthen walls: they are finished with repurposed coffee grounds that would otherwise be discarded.
This thoughtful approach to upcycling coffee adds a new layer of potential to the space.

Open everyday 10:00～21:00
https://www.instagram.com/niwafukuoka.official/?hl=en

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