One day at a forest park with a sunny blue sky and scattered clouds.
Some jogging, some walking with their dogs, some picnicking, children playing happily, and crows calling in the background.
Disk:ette
Costa Rica Mirazu Catajo Gesha
origin Tarrazú, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 producer Héctor Esteban Sánchez roastery hana roastery process Raisin Honey variety Geisha notes - Lychee
- Licorice candy
- White flower
Lychee aroma really hits from the first sniff. As usual, when I swirl the server, the aroma gets even stronger—clearly floral too, though I’m not sure it’s white flower like the listed notes.
On the palate, the body feels syrupy, with a long aftertaste—comfortable and pleasant. The lychee stays pronounced from the first sniff to the last sip. It’s quite sweet, with the light acidity lychee has. I caught something else in there too, but I still couldn’t tell what it was by the time the beans ran out. My palate isn’t rich enough yet.
I also brewed with a chilling ball… and it felt brighter and cleaner. The trade-off was that sweetness weakened, and the syrupy body thinned. After all, more interesting beans from Costa Rica.
I got a chilling ball around the time I had these beans because I was curious what it could bring out as an alternative to ice. Technically, both bring the aroma out more, lean the palate toward acidity, and soften the body a bit. But the chilling ball works better for me because it doesn’t make the coffee watery.
From now on, the chilling ball will be part of my brewing experiments. The Icosa server already helps bring the aroma out when I swirl it—and pairing it with the chilling ball could bring out even more.
Tied and untied. Pulling it in took more than letting it go.
Costa Rica El Diosa
origin Tarrazú, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 producer - roastery Herd Coffee Roaster process Yeast Washed variety Geisha notes - Melon
- Osmanthus
- Vanillin
I bought these beans not just because they’re from Costa Rica, but also because osmanthus is one of the listed notes. I know osmanthus scent so well. It’s one of the most pleasant scents to me, and it always takes me back to the smell of autumn in Japan.
Sniff the aroma… it’s fairly floral and reminds me of Costa Rica Mozart—perhaps because of the same origin. While brewing, I also catch a bit of vanilla—similar to the aroma I get when brewing El Diviso Sidra.
On the palate, there’s light acidity at the start, then light brown sugar. Even brewed as an iced pour-over, the acidity stays light. Sometimes I can taste a bit of vanilla too—though I catch it more in the aroma while brewing than on the palate.
And about osmanthus… it isn’t really that pronounced here. I’ve even tried changing brew variables every time to bring out more osmanthus aroma. But I get it… I get the osmanthus sentiment here… it’s just not a highlight—unfortunately.
And what surprises me—when the coffee gets slightly cooler, the pear note really comes through.
This was my first time fishing at sea—I had only fished in ponds or rivers before. And it had been a long time since I last went fishing too.
So much fun and so much sun (hot)!
Costa Rica Mozart
origin Tarrazú, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 producer - roastery Sematjam Coffee Roastery process Raisin Honey variety Caturra notes - Strawberry milkshake
- Lavender
- Stone fruit
The aroma already hits as soon as I open the bag—and even harder when I grind. Like an infused or co-fermented bean, but it isn’t!
Strawberry hits clearly, with lavender dominating—so floral and tea-like. When I swirl the server, the lavender becomes even more obvious. Every time I brew these beans, I keep swirling just to sniff the lavender and strawberry before drinking.
From the aroma, I can already tell lavender and strawberry will dominate the first sip—and indeed they do! The journey starts like drinking tea, but it ends with something more coffee-like. Though if I brew it with the same pouring interval but a lower temperature like 85–88°C, it stays tea-like all the way through, with no coffee taste at all. When I brew it as an iced pour-over, the aroma and taste become more pronounced—so fresh. The acidity is more noticeable too.
I see now why this bean is named Mozart. The aroma… the taste… really are classic and elegant (even though I learned that’s not the real reason behind the name). And I’ve brewed this for a few people—they were surprised and liked it.
Also, these beans are easy to brew—the listed notes are easy to bring out—just like the other Costa Rica beans I’ve had.
And what stays with me is the aroma—so memorable. Always leaving the room smelling like lavender—not the usual coffee smell. Especially pleasant when the room is cool.
Burundi Kayanza
origin Kayanza, Burundi 🇧🇮 producer Long Miles roastery Instinct Roastery process Natural variety Bourbon notes - Raspberry
- Plum
- Chocolate liquor
The aroma feels balanced. The chocolatey side and the floral side come through together. But if I swirl the server, I can sniff the floral aroma more clearly.
Since the first cup, I’ve only brewed these hot. When I sip, it starts with acidity and ends with sweetness. A kind of plum hits first on the palate, but later it tastes drier—like raisin. And there’s a touch of dark chocolate at the end. The contrast is interesting…
I haven’t tried brewing these beans as an iced pour-over yet. If I get to have these beans again, that’s the first thing I’d try.
Ethiopia Gigesa
origin Guji, Oromia, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 producer - roastery SIA Coffee process Washed variety Heirloom notes - Floral
- Peach
- Stone fruit
I thought Gigesa was a kind of Gesha—or a variety derived from it. I was curious and decided to buy it.
The aroma is so floral—typical of the Ethiopian beans. And there’s quite a sweet impression too. Even when I swirl the server, the aroma stays the same. Aroma-wise, it’s nothing special—I’m not a fan of Ethiopian bean aroma so far.
On the first sip, the peach really hits—so pronounced, with light acidity. From the start to the end, the impression is always peach.
But what’s interesting—what impresses me—is the aftertaste. Fresh even when the cup is still warm—and even fresher when it gets cold.
That aftertaste is like eating a sour fruit. I’m not sure, but perhaps lime(?). But there’s also a taste of lemongrass—and that’s the freshest part, the one that catches my attention.
Unfortunately, these beans leave a lot of chaff after grinding. To get a better brew—less drawdown and better clarity—I need to get rid of the chaff with a blower… it’s really that much. And it’s a hassle.
But I like the taste after all. So far these are the Ethiopian beans I like.
Is it related to Gesha? Turns out it’s not. I learned that Gigesa is the name of a washing station in Guji, which collects cherries from around 850 small farmers in the area.
- 1/5
Intersection at Honmoku St. towards Yamate Tunnel. These places aren’t landmarks—not even spots people would photograph. But I visit them every time I’m in Yokohama. I discovered them through two beautiful songs I heard in middle school—songs with music videos set in these exact places.
I remember the first time I visited—I put on my headphones, played both songs, and just stood there for some time—lost in nostalgia until the songs ended. Then I realized I was standing in beautiful places because of those songs—places I once only knew from a screen. I don’t have a word for what this is. People might call it manifestation—something I don’t believe in. Whatever it is… it is—at least to me—sentimental!
Now, every time I visit, even without playing the songs, I still find myself standing there and letting the memories find their way back.
It’s always sentimental Yamatecho.
Bali Karana
origin Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩 producer - roastery Instinct Roastery process Carbonic Maceration Natural variety S795, Kartika notes - Dark plum
- Berries
- Fruity & sweet
The aroma is perhaps grape, perhaps raisin, or something like wine-process beans from Kamojang and Gayo—just not as strong. But I catch a clear hint of grape every time I swirl the server.
On the first sip, a dominant citrusy acidity hits, and it’s funky fruity. Though… I can’t really name the notes at the start. What’s clear is the brown sugar at the end—really pronounced, leaving a sweet impression.
Brewed as an iced pour-over, it turns lighter and funkier—so refreshing.
Semendo Finca Ali HSN 120
origin Semendo Highlands, Indonesia 🇮🇩 producer Curators Coffee Company roastery SIA Coffee process Hermetically Sealed Natural 120hrs variety Kartika Andungsari notes - Sweet cherry
- Grape
- Dark plum
The aroma is soft and floral. I haven’t smelled any chocolatey or nutty aroma the whole time I’ve had these beans. It’s tea-like.
Citrusy acidity dominates. I taste something familiar from the first sip—and I only realize later it’s cherry (the one in the notes)! I rarely eat cherries, so the taste is hard to recall. Funny that this coffee reminds me of what cherry tastes like. At the end, there’s grape—not as aroma, but more like the aftertaste of eating one.
I’ve always liked the look of vintage photography—the kind that mostly comes from film cameras—the texture… the colors… the look I’ve been trying to recreate lately. I did a similar exploration before with VSCO, but now I use Adobe Lightroom.
It’s not easy yet. I still don’t grasp much about color editing. But I’m sure this sense sharpens with more practice—and feeding myself more references!
Then I made my first three vintage presets.
RAWPreset 1
The first one is too yellowish—dull and washed out. But I’ll keep it and improve it. I feel like it could work for photos that need a warm nostalgic feel.
RAWPreset 2This one is an improvement over preset 1 with a cooler tone—more balanced. I’m okay with this one for now—I’ve tried it on other photos and it works well—though I’m still not satisfied.
RAWPreset 3I like the colors on this one—it somehow works with this photo. The problem is it doesn’t quite work with other photos.
It’s kind of ironic—and a hassle too—using a digital camera but chasing the look of vintage photography. I even had to work around the lens myself—my camera isn’t high-spec, but it still produces crisp photos.
Never wanted to own a film camera—rather recreate the look instead!
My delightful irony.
An iconic trio—Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. These are Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. I took this shot at Birg right after lunch at Piz Gloria—the rotating restaurant on Schilthorn. I’m grateful to see them in person—though the scene itself didn’t really impress me—or perhaps it was the angle from where I stood. Funny that I found the lore behind them more interesting.
In German, Eiger means ogre, Mönch means monk, and Jungfrau means maiden. The monk stands between the ogre and the maiden to protect her. That’s how they’re positioned geographically—Mönch right between Eiger and Jungfrau.
I only knew Eiger as an outdoor gear brand in my country. Then, the day before I took this shot, I was playing mini golf with friends in Grindelwald and found out the mountain behind the course was Eiger.
- 1/4
Reject "no country for old men"—as old men built the country. 
A beauty resides in the unexpected. I took this shot a few years ago at a pottery workshop in Tokoname, Aichi. The place was chaotic—scraps and random stuff everywhere—but this old signboard caught my eye. It stood out against the mess around it.
Come to think of it… something like this might happen quite often—a small thing catching the eye, the way that signboard did. But it’s very subjective. Like… what stands out to me might mean nothing to anyone else—and vice versa. Even when something stands out to me, I might still miss it—it could be because I’m moving quickly, my mind is elsewhere, or something like that.
If I slow down a little—giving myself a moment to be present—I might see things I usually miss. But of course, it’s not a guarantee—just a chance.
Perhaps that’s what noticing is—being present, unhurried, and open.
Footsteps echo and pages turn—a lovely morning in Yokohama (2023). These two photos are completely different, but they have some similarities. These were my first experimental shots while exploring my visual style. Inspired by the editorial aesthetic of 90s magazines—that soft, matte look often associated with film photography. I’ll call it vintage magazine here.
The main pattern I noticed in the vintage magazine style was low contrast—a matte effect where the shadows don’t go pitch black.
Unlike the typical vintage magazine pattern, I set the sharpness a bit higher here because I found it more appealing.
I’ve also added some grain—big fan of it. It makes the photos feel a bit old, but it fits the look I was going for.
I used VSCO for editing. At the time, I didn’t want to spend too much time on complex color grading.
