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Vegetarian's Japan Guide

Rokugatsu no Shika: A Cozy Cafe Close to Morioka Castle Park

Close to Mont Ceri. Morioka, Rokugatsu no Shika (自家焙煎珈琲 六月の鹿) is another cafe near Sakurayama Shrine (櫻山神社) that opens early to serve you breakfast and satisfy your craving for coffee. In fact, we reckon the coffee at Rokugatsu no Shika is better! After all, it is a coffee shop specializing in home-roasted, flannel drip coffee. Even the flannel is handmade!

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About Rokugatsu no Shika

Rokugatsu no Shika opened in 2011 is run by Kumagai-san (熊谷). It is a popular cafe among the local coffee lovers. Throughout the day, the coffee is made to order. The smaller roaster at the back of the counter can only roast 300 grams of beans. Although he needs to roast the beans several times a day, the intention is for his customers to see the end-to-end coffee-making process.

If you understand Japanese, you might already be attracted to the cafe by hearing its name. Rokugatsu no Shika means the deer in June. The month of June is Kumagai-san’s birthday. The cafe gives similar vibe of a young buck with soft antlers that have just grown in early spring.

A reason Rokugatsu no Shika is successful is what Kumagai-san wants to bring to his customers. All he hopes for is for everyone to be a little bit happier when they leave the cafe. This is probably why the cafe feels so relaxing and homey.

While Kumagai-san might not seem like a quiet person, he is friendly and approachable. Sit at the counter seat if you want to see him making coffee and have a casual conversation with him!

If you visit Morioka in summer, take the window seats and adore the flush green vegetation. The lotus flowers in the Kamegaike Pond (亀ヶ池) behind the cafe is also worth checking out.

Tip: The coffee beans roasted by Kumagai-san taste the best in a month. The aroma and taste change daily, so it is like your coffee is made using different types of beans each day!

What Is on Rokugatsu no Shika’s Menu

Each day, 5 to 7 types of original blends are available according to the season. If you visit Rokugatsu no Shika outside of morning session, check with Kumagai-san for his recommendation!

Between 7:30 am and 10 am, 10 cups of coffee are made in one go to save time for his customers. As it is the spot where the locals come to grab their morning coffee, even the coffee is “premade” in the morning rush hours, so what goes into your cup is still fresh.

Not only does Kumagai-san make great coffee, but he also ensures that the ingredients he uses to make the light meals are of high quality. For example, only free-range eggs are used to make the scrambled eggs and souffle cheesecake (スフレチーズケーキ). The butter used for the Butter Toast is Yotsuba Milk’s (よつば乳業) unsalted butter.

Seasonal cakes can be ordered, too!

Besides coffee, order a slice of peanut butter toast or scones (red bean or walnut). These are the vegan options available at Rokugatsu no Shika. If the weather is good, take your breakfast away and enjoy it at the Morioka-jō Castle Site Park (盛岡城跡公園) nearby! The castle ruins in the park were chosen to be Japan’s Top 100 Castles. Moreover, the cherry blossom and autumn foliage scenery there are gorgeous.

Rokugatsu no Shika’s Business Hours and Access Information

  • Rokugatsu no Shika is open from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm from Tuesday to Saturday.
    • The last order is taken at 2:30 pm.
    • The morning session is until 10 am.
  • The cafe is a 20-minute walk from Morioka Station.
  • You can also take the city’s loop bus, Dendenmushi, and get off at Kenchō Shiyakusho-mae (県庁市役所前) and walk for two minutes.

Over Vegan-Friendly Cafes and Restaurants in Morioka

Coffee-and-Scones-at-Rokugatsu-no-Shika-Morioka-Iwate-Japan
Click the photo for other vegan-friendly spots in Morioka!

While Morioka is one of the biggest cities in the Tōhoku region, vegan options are still limited. So, if you are strict with your diet, advance planning for your visit is essential.

To assist you with your planning, we have gathered the vegan-friendly spots in Morioka that are worth checking out in our Where to Find Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Morioka article!

Discover the Must-Visit Attractions in Morioka

When you hear of Morioka, Wanko Soba and Morioka cold noodles are probably the two first things that come to mind. But the city isn’t just about food. It also has many cultural attractions, hot springs, nature and more!

So refer to our Morioka article for ideas about where to stop by when visiting Iwate Prefecture’s capital city!

Azumaya Honten Morioka Iwate Japan
Click the photo for travel ideas in Morioka!

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