Caffe Bal Musette

Chiaki Kawaguchi used to be a jazz musician in Tokyo. But when he was 31 years old, he returned to his hometown of Sendai, northeastern Japan. A year later, he started Caffe Bal Musette in 1996. Kawaguchi was deeply influenced by Italy’s bar culture. When he opened his shop, there weren’t many places where customers could enjoy espresso made with beans freshly roasted in-house. A former musician turned coffee professional, Kawaguchi has always been eager to learn, whatever the field of his pursuit. We spoke to Kawaguchi to find out what it is that has kept him going. Fascinated by Italian bar culture Caffe Bal Musette stands on a Zelkova-lined boulevard in Sendai, located along the city’s bus routes. Its presence accentuated by the red of the awning and...