Book Talk: An Invitation to Stillness with A Daibo Coffee Manual 

If you are interested in this event, please also attend Nahoko Yamaguchi’s coffee and wagashi tasting.

In New York City, coffee is often consumed on the go—an energizing companion to busy schedules and bustling streets. In contrast, Tokyo’s relationship with coffee reflects a deeper sensibility. Since its introduction to Japan in the late 19th century, cafes have evolved into a place of quiet contemplation—a retreat where time slows, and the rituals of preparation and presentation hold equal importance to the beverage itself. As anthropologist Merry White observes in Coffee Life in Japan, the Japanese kissaten is a place “where the space matters, the coffee counts, where for a time recreation and respite replace responsibility and repetition in ordinary life.”

Join us for an evening with Nahoko Yamaguchi —founder of NAHOKO PRESS and publisher of A Daibo Coffee Manual—for a talk on the aesthetic principle of Shizukesaya—a sense of serene stillness—and a discussion on A Daibo Coffee Manual, written by Katsuji Daibo, legendary Tokyo coffee master and proprietor of the beloved but now defunct Daibo Coffee.

About Nahoko Yamaguchi’s NAHOKO PRESS
Founded in Tokyo in 2014 by Nahoko Yamaguchi, NAHOKO PRESS is an independent publisher dedicated to Japanese coffee and tea culture. Its publications, including A Daibo Coffee Manual and POEMS BY BAISAO, explore the subtle depth of everyday rituals, offering resonances that transcend language and invite quiet reflection. NAHOKO PRESS takes its name from the Zen term shin-in—“to press a stamp upon one’s heart.” Guided by this philosophy, Yamaguchi collaborates with trusted artists and designers to weave quiet moments into everyday life: a letterpressed book, a handcrafted coffee tool, or the ritual of morning tea. Each piece reflects Japanese culture, refined simplicity, and an appreciation for the small moments of daily life, offering timeless craftsmanship that invites stillness, warmth and joy into everyday rhythms.

Autographs and Book Sales
A very limited number of copies of A Daibo Coffee Manual signed by Katsuji Daibo will be available as well as Daibo Coffee tools. A pre-sale link will be sent to all attendees after your order confirmation. Please pre-order your book or tools before the event begins. All pre-sold items will be personally presented to their purchaser at Japan Society by Nahoko Yamaguchi. No items will be sold onsite.

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Japan Society Food Events are sponsored by BALMUDA and Kikkoman Corporation.

Support for cultural programs is provided by Anime NYC; the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund; Faith L. Taylor; and Jean Fan Colson and Daniel Colson.

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).