HARUKAZE COFFEE

a roaster worth tracking down in midori ward, which isn't always the first place people think of when they're mapping out specialty coffee in chiba. harukaze sits on oyuminochuo's 4-chome stretch, far enough from central chiba that you feel like you've found something rather than stumbled into it. the regulars here are consistent and vocal, which says more than most marketing does. independent roasters at this level tend to have a clear point of view about sourcing and roast approach, and that focus is what separates a place like this from a shop that just happens to have a grinder. come on a weekday morning when the neighborhood is quieter, and make time for whatever's on the filter menu that week.