When in Tokyo, don't miss Koffee Mameya, the new coffee joint from the maker of Omotesando Koffee

When I overheard my millennial nephew and nieces saying they were going out for coffee, I said I'll join them.

I don't drink much coffee anymore, but having some java was better than waiting for our other companions to finish shopping.

We were then in Aoyama in Tokyo, and they said the coffee shop was just walking distance from where we were.

And so we walked for what seemed like 30 minutes and found ourselves in a quiet part of Shibuya near Omotesando. In front of what looked like an apartment, people were patiently waiting in line that afternoon.

No signage whatsoever. Welcome to Koffee Mameya

That's it, just a building with no sign whatsoever. Just people — locals and foreigners — in line.

I learned that this was Koffee Mameya run by coffee guru Eiichi Kunitomo, of Omotesando Koffee- fame, a favorite among coffee aficionados.

Call it a gourmet coffee place kept a secret by genuine coffee lovers. If you love coffee, truly truly love coffee, you would know about this place.

That's because having coffee at Koffee Mameya is more than just ordering at the counter. It's having a coffee master make the best coffee for you, they said.

After what seemed like an hour in line, we finally got inside the small place. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee put us in good spirits.

Kunitomo was patiently talking to the customers at the counter in front of him, finding out where they were from, what type of coffee they like having, and recommending the blend he thinks would suit them.

The famous coffee guru Eiichi Kunitomo

The whole experience — from queuing outside, stepping inside the shop until you get your coffee — may take about an hour and 15 minutes.

When it was our turn to meet him, we were so excited, with wide grins on our faces. Kunitomo asked us where we come from, and we said "Philippines!" One of us gushed and said that if one googles "best coffee in Tokyo" Koffee Mameya comes up.

"Ah," he said with a smile. Kunitomo then told us that Mameya means "beans" and that he does not roast coffee beans, but he has the roasting done in other places —Australia, Japan, and Hong Kong.

He then brought out a paper with matrix showing about 20 blends, arranged according to roast, with light roast on top going to dark at the bottom.

The matrix of blends

Kunitomo asked each of us what our preference is: light, medium, dark roast? Then he explained each one on the square and recommended what he thought is best for each one of us.

I said I wanted something light. He then told me about Timana coffee grown in Colombia. "It has hints of plum, orange blossom, and is fruity. Very light, like tea," he said.

"Okay, I'll try that," I said. It costs 550 yen.

You'd think that that's it, he helped us pick out the coffee blend he thinks would suit our personalities and preferences, and he'd ask a barista to prepare the coffee for us. But no, he proceeded to make each coffee himself, in itself a work of art.

Making his world-famous coffee

Kunitomo got some beans from the row of jars behind the counter and ground them. Next, he prepared the coffee maker, putting water in it. Then he got a paper cup, poured the hot water in it, then threw the water away.

Then the brewing started right in front of us. Kunitomo slowly, artfully, skillfully, and quietly with much concentration poured water on the coffee filter, taking time to do so because good coffee is never done in a jiffy.

When it was done, he handed me the coffee. There was no sugar or cream in sight. No cover for the coffee cup. No napkin. Just the coffee which was not even in tall size. You either just buy coffee to-go or beans to take home. If you want latte, you're in the wrong place.

And so we thanked him for making us coffee, grateful for having met a coffee master. We were also mindful of the people still in line as it was already around 5 p.m. and the place closes at 6 p.m.

Outside Koffee Mameya, on the street itself since there were no chairs inside or outside the coffee place, we each savored our coffee and tasted each other's coffee. Ah, that was good. Good coffee, good experience.

So if you find yourself in Tokyo soon and you love coffee, make the pilgrimage, er the trip, to Koffee Mameya. — LA, GMA News

Koffee Mameya is at 4-15-3 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 Japan. They're open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.