Sapporo's Cult Coffee Cult MORIHICO. Opens First Overseas Location—And It's Deep in Nantou's Mountains

A coffee shop that's been running for 30 years, one the New York Times once dubbed a "cult-level must-visit in Sapporo," is finally stepping outside Japan for the first time. It didn't pick Tokyo. It didn't pick central Taipei. Instead, it landed in the mountains of Jiujiu Peak in Caotun, Nantou—and that location choice alone is the whole story behind MORIHICO. Jiujiufeng.

MORIHICO. was founded in 1996, starting out as a wooden minka house tucked into a Sapporo backstreet. Founder Sosuke Ichikawa poured the quiet stillness of Hokkaido's snowy landscapes and an almost obsessive craftsman's mindset into every single cup, building up a fiercely loyal following and growing to 13 locations across Japan. It took the Lavender Cottage Group years of negotiation to bring the brand to Taiwan—MORIHICO. Jiujiufeng marks the brand's 14th store worldwide, and its very first outpost outside Japan in 30 years of business.

The space was designed personally by Ichikawa, named "Setsuboku" (雪墨)—a fusion of Hokkaido's snow-line contours with the negative-space logic of East Asian ink painting. The interior leans heavily on white wood, natural stone, and soft curves, with floor-to-ceiling windows pulling the surrounding forest scenery of Jiujiu Peak directly indoors. There's an outdoor terrace on the second floor overlooking the full mountain range—easily the most sought-after seating in the house.

The coffee itself got a local twist too. The original Sapporo shop is known for its classic dark roast, but for this location Ichikawa developed a Taiwan-exclusive house blend called "Mori no Shizuku Taiwan Edition," switching to a medium-light roast that mixes five types of beans including Ethiopian and Colombian. The first sip brings citrus notes, with a deliberate woody finish reminiscent of Taiwan's mountain forests. On the dessert side, Japanese craft meets Taiwanese ingredients: lavender taro cream pancakes, a mango fruit sandwich made with seasonal fruit, plus the brand's signature Snow Cheese Cake and Moonlight Chocolate Cake brought straight over from Japan.

Two exhibitions are running free of charge during the opening period, from July 16 to September 15. One, "MORIHICO. Through Time," offers the first public look at 30 years' worth of the brand's design sketches, vintage tools, and archival imagery. The other is Japanese photographer Keiichi Noro's "A Morning Where Silver Lace Unravels," featuring snowscapes, light, and shadow—a fitting echo of the Setsuboku space's aesthetic.

MORIHICO. Jiujiufeng is located at No. 258, Yishu Road, Caotun Township, Nantou County, inside the Lavender Cottage Nantou Jiujiufeng Park. Open daily from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, with last entry at 4:30 PM.