The Unir Coffee Senses

Unir is one of Kansai's most decorated specialty roasters, led by Tomoko Yamamoto — the 2018 Japan Barista Champion who went on to represent Japan at the 2019 World Barista Championship — and her husband, who buy green coffee directly from farms around the world. The Higashiyama branch, called Coffee Senses, opened in 2020 inside a 100-year-old kyomachiya on the lantern-lined approach to Kōdai-ji, one of the prettiest walks in Kyoto. Downstairs is the bar and bean retail; upstairs, a calm modern-Japanese room of around 35 seats invites you to actually sit with the coffee. The lineup runs from approachable single origins to the competition-grade lots Unir buys for the championship stage, with natural-process options and seasonal rotations. Pair a hand-brew with the matcha tiramisu or a fruit sandwich. For anyone who wants to taste what a barista champion pours on home turf, this is the Kyoto stop.