Sapporo is a city where the style of drinking coffee at coffee shops has been popular since the 1970s, and the culture of "coffee shops" and "home roasting" has taken root. The cool climate and low humidity throughout the year, which is suitable for coffee making, also helped to establish the culture.

"Pure coffee shops," "specialty coffee," "dark roast." Sapporo's coffee culture is supported by a variety of shops, from long-established establishments that have maintained the same attitude since they first opened to newer establishments.

Among the many unique stores, there is one that values creating a space with a "spirit of hospitality." That store is "RITARU COFFEE," located in a residential area just a few minutes' walk from Maruyama Koen Station. The store opened on March 1, 2010 as "Ritaru Coffee," and changed its name to its current name a few years later, becoming a beloved store with people who make the effort to visit.


The origin of the cozy atmosphere of a coffee shop

We spoke with Etsushi Mikami, the representative of RITARU Co., Ltd., which operates RITARU COFFEE. When Mikami was a teenager, he came across a coffee shop inside a subway station and was completely captivated by the cozy atmosphere it provided.

"The coffee shop I frequented back then was known as 'The Coffee Shop,' which had old-fashioned chairs and tables and served dark roasted coffee with a strong bitter taste. It was a very comfortable, calming, small space where I could immerse myself in my own time," he recalls.

Since that encounter, Mikami-san has had a love for the coffee and the atmosphere of coffee shops. With the desire to create his own space growing in his heart, he gained around 10 years of experience in roasting and managing coffee shops at a specialty coffee shop, before going independent in the Maruyama area, where he had a connection.

Delivering the joy that comes from deliciousness

What Mikami values most in running his shop is the spirit of "omotenashi" (hospitality). This is also deeply connected to the origin of the shop's name, "RITARU." It is a coined word that combines "rita" (altruism), which means wishing for the happiness of others as well as oneself, and "taru shiru" (knowing enough), which means being content with the current situation and at peace of mind, without being too obsessed with what is lacking. Apparently, it was originally a phrase he used to admonish himself during the constant hardships he faced when he first founded the shop.

"As our staff gradually increased, it became more important for us to work together on the same vector. First of all, I had to treat my staff with compassion. The staff would then put their own idea of "altruism" into practice with our customers. I believe that the cumulative result of this is that customers will feel happy and want to visit again," said Mikami.

Our goal is to create a cup that makes you want to have another one

RITARU COFFEE is particular about creating a comfortable space, but as a shop that serves home-roasted coffee, they also make no compromises in the pursuit of flavor. They use a semi-hot air roasting method that combines the advantages of direct fire and hot air. They carefully determine the roasting temperature and time according to the indoor temperature and humidity, which change with the seasons, to ensure a crisp, even flavor.

Another speciality is the hand drip extraction using a paper filter containing abaca (an environmentally friendly material) that they have created themselves. Compared to regular filters, abaca filters have higher liquid permeability and a more flexible paper quality, which allows for faster extraction and brings out the original aroma, flavor, richness, and oil of the coffee.

Introducing environmentally friendly products for the future is something only a shop that values the "spirit of altruism" can do. These efforts in roasting and brewing lead to a rich flavor that makes you want to drink another cup, yet has a clean taste with few unpleasant flavors.

The iconic menu of "RITARU COFFEE"

RITARU COFFEE is based on the idea of "triple benefit," which is "What can we do for our customers and for society?" The menu item that can be said to be the symbol of the brand is the "RITARU ROLL," which is inspired by the tree rings of the corporate identity.

The sweets represent the many hands that go into brewing a cup of coffee, and you can enjoy the harmony of cocoa-flavored crepes and refreshing fresh cream. Paired with the signature coffee "RITARU BLEND," which has the bitterness and richness of a dark roast, you can fully enjoy the uniqueness of RITARU.

Starting with coffee, which "helps people live," we do what we can

"To be honest, coffee is not life-threatening even if we don't drink it. But that one cup in a comfortable space enriches our lives. That is the coffee that we aim to provide that brings people to life. We would be happy if our coffee could continue to be a gentle companion to those who taste it for years to come," concludes Mikami.

With the desire to "deliver something that is uniquely Hokkaido," RITARU COFFEE is taking on new initiatives such as developing "smoked coffee" using wood that has been thinned (thinning out trees as the forest grows).

Like the rings of a tree, which slowly but surely bear testimony one year at a time. We do our best to make coffee that "people live on." The story of "RITARU COFFEE" will continue into the future.

RITARU COFFEE（リタルコーヒー）
電話番号：011-676-8190
住所：北海道札幌市中央区北3条西26丁目3−8 Ｎ2ビル 1F
アクセス：地下鉄東西線「円山公園駅」より徒歩4分程度
HP：https://ritaru.com
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/ritarucoffee/
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