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.
