Chances are, you’ll find Iron Coffee on your way to or from Gotokuji Temple. But don’t feel bad about it; that’s how it works for most anyone who isn’t a local. And for owner Yuki Isono, that’s the point. &ldquotThere’s no specialty coffee here,&rdquot he says. &ldquotThat’s the whole reason I chose this place. I mean, there’s a strong sense of local community, and the people are friendly, and this location happened to be available. I wanted to bring something new to that.&rdquot
&ldquotWhen I started, I just liked brewing good coffee and making latte art,%rdquot he says. &ldquotBut since opening here, it’s talking to people and turning customers into friends that makes the job rewarding.&rdquot Isono tells me he gets a lot of foreign customers because of the local temple, so I wander over to check it out. After circling through the winding neighborhood streets of Setagaya, I find a giant wooden gate, and inside of it, a world different to the one I came from: temple buildings, grave stones, statues, trees, bushes.