Kyushu Pancakes Make Their Debut in Taiwan – Koji Murakami: “I Want to Bring a Sense of Sweet Happiness to Taiwanese People”

▲ Kyushu Pancake Coffee’s pancakes are made without any leavening agents.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, staff reporter in Taipei

When convenience stores start selling Belgian Liège waffles, it’s not hard to notice that more and more people are falling in love with pancakes. The Greater Taipei area is also home to many delicious pancake shops. On the 27th, yet another pancake shop will open in Taipei City—but this one servesJapanese Kyushu-style pancakes made with pancake mix crafted from seven types of grains sourced from Kyushu. The shop also insists on not using emulsifiers or aluminum-based leavening agents, aiming to deliver both peace of mind and healthiness.

The Japanese specialty pancake shop “Kyushu Pancake Coffee (Kyushu Pancake)” is located on Fujin Street in Taipei’s Minsheng community. Aside from its flagship store in Daikanyama, Tokyo, Taiwan is its second location and the first overseas branch. The ingredients for Kyushu Pancake Coffee are made from seven types of wheat and grains locally produced in Kyushu, Japan. The shop is committed to preserving the natural flavor of the grain flours and completely avoids using additives such as emulsifiers, fragrances, modified starches, or aluminum-based leavening agents—allowing customers to enjoy their meals with both safety and health in mind.


▲ Eggs Benedict Pancake.

Koji Murakami, the founder of Kyushu Pancake Coffee, is the son of the founder of the well-known sushi restaurant “Ippin Sushi” in Miyazaki Prefecture. But aside from the sushi business, he also runs coffee shops and soba noodle restaurants. Murakami said that because of his strong interest in agriculture, he has always wanted to promote Kyushu’s farming industry and share the blessings of the land with everyone. That eventually led him to the idea of presenting it through pancakes (or pancake mix). He also mentioned that his mother used to make pancakes for him when he was a child, and every memory of it is filled with a sense of sweet happiness. He really wants to bring that feeling to the people of Taiwan.

▲ The shop has 36 seats.

Speaking of the reason for entering the Taiwanese market, it mainly came down to the matchmaking efforts of Cai Jingming, General Manager of Pankuchi International, the Taiwanese agent for Kyushu Pancake Coffee. Cai, whose main business is importing Japanese goods, said that he tried Kyushu Pancake in Daikanyama, Japan, in March this year and found it to be a uniquely delicious pancake. He immediately decided to bring it to Taiwan. Cai also mentioned that Kyushu Pancake Coffee is not just a pancake shop—the store also sells pancake mix so customers can make their own at home. In the second quarter of this year (2015), the shop will also launch a pancake-making class to teach everyone how to make pancakes.

Kyushu Pancakes are made with natural wheat, brown rice, glutinous millet, sprouted barley, black rice, red glutinous rice, japonica rice, and cane sugar. Compared to regular pancakes, they are less sweet but richer in the aroma of wheat and grains. At the same time, they don’t contain emulsifiers, fragrances, modified starches, or leavening agents, so there’s no need to worry about food safety while enjoying them. The shop has 36 seats and accepts reservations, though some walk-in spots are also available. If reservations are full, customers can still wait onsite.

Kyushu Pancake Coffee
Address: No. 413, Fujin Street, Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2749-5253
Business Hours: Monday to Friday: 11:00–21:00; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 09:30–21:00