WAYS COFFEE STAND, Morioka

WAYS COFFEE STAND is a specialty coffee store in Morioka, in a rather central location right next to its castle ruins and shrine. We came up to Morioka recently for a weekend hiking trip and had the opportunity to try just one coffee spot before we went home. Either Morioka has amazingly good coffee, or we managed to happen upon the best pour-over coffee in Morioka on the first try because the pour-over here was on point! At first glance they seem to be just running a takeaway shop down an alleyway, but actually they have a small shop where they sell clothing and other knickknacks as well. The barista/owner can take your order from either side. The cafe is run by a husband-and-wife team, and their rather cute dog keeps them company as well. The cutest dog, look at those eyes! In the 50+ cafes I’ve visited across Japan, this is the first one that has had a resident dog. It’s a dachshund named Latte - which is the most perfect name for it considering its colouring. Now, onto the coffee…