Today I went to the consultation event held at the International Center. Mr. Yagi had asked me to come to help with translation but, as it turned out, my services were not needed in that sphere after all and I had time to enjoy the free food, delicious coffee, and talk with many different people. The coffee was provided by Natural Coffee (see link). I had the pleasure of meeting Yukiko Matsuike who runs the establishment. She specializes in fair trade coffee. Her shop was damaged in the quake but she is still going strong. If you are not in Kumamoto or far from her shop but are interested in fair trade coffee, it’s also possible to order through her site.
– Kirk