Kyoto, for many the real home of pour-over coffee. Without speaking Japanese it was not very easy to find, but we managed to make our way to Elefant Factory Coffee, only a few minutes away from Gion-Shijo and Sanjo station.

Google maps:

The place is tucked away in a back alley in the second floor, and beware: smoking is allowed. The ambience is dark and classy, seats are few and a wait at peak hours seems normal.

The selection of beans was as follows during our visit (April 2017):

As expected, here it seems to be a lot more about experience and intuition, hence no scales or timers to be found. But instead we witnessed a highly precise, slow pour – beautiful to watch.

The result of this was an outstanding cup. The Rwandan coffee had a really full body with some plum in it, but also a light acidity. I was surprised by the intensity, since this was already their lightest roast.

Interestingly, even the Cafe au Lait was made with hand drip coffee. No machines allowed here. Also: try the chocolate cake, no regrets.

All in all a great experience, and definitely a recommendation for everybody who has a chance to stop by.