Training Trip to Oslo 2026

Hello! I’m Nakajima, the store manager at Fuglen Kyoto.

After spending my first Obon season in Kyoto with the local community and our staff, I set off for training in Oslo while the memories of those days were still fresh. It was my first time visiting Oslo.

I left Japan on the evening of August 17 and arrived in Oslo early the next morning. Outside, the air was cool, dry, and clear, with very little humidity. We were fortunate with the weather throughout my stay, and it remained sunny almost the entire time. There were occasional sudden showers, but most people in Norway seemed not to carry umbrellas. Even when it rained, they simply continued walking through the city without paying much attention to it. I followed their example and enjoyed walking in the rain. Although it became slightly warmer during the day, I especially loved the fresh morning air in Norway.

Members of the Oslo team came to meet me at the airport. About 40 minutes after leaving the airport, the FUGLEN logo suddenly appeared before me. Until then, it had not quite felt real that I was finally in Oslo. The moment I saw it, I remember being overcome by a sudden mixture of excitement and nervousness.

By the time I stepped inside, I had become quite nervous, but the Oslo Roastery team welcomed me warmly with a cheerful “Welcome!” As naturally as if it were part of their greeting, they served me a cup of “Dagens kaffe,” Norwegian for “Today’s Coffee.” The coffee that day was Colombia / GILMA GUTIERREZ.

It was incredibly floral. Notes reminiscent of peach and mango then unfolded, followed by a concentrated sweetness. I had not had a single cup of coffee since leaving Japan, and that first Dagens kaffe in Oslo was so delicious that it became the most memorable coffee of my entire trip.

I would like to share one of my favorite moments from my stay!
These two came to FUGLEN after their morning bike ride. They told me that cycling before work and stopping by for coffee was part of their daily routine.

As we talked, they told me, “On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, we ride with our cycling team and then come here together.” The following day happened to be Thursday. They said, “Come by around 7:00 a.m. if you like! A lot of people will be here!” So the next morning, I headed to the Roastery while still barely awake.

Sure enough, at almost exactly 7:00 a.m., a group of more than ten cyclists began arriving at FUGLEN one after another. “They really came,” I thought as I watched them sleepily. Then more cycling groups continued to arrive. Before long, there seemed to be around 50 people, and the terrace was overflowing with cyclists.

The scene was so fascinating that I stood there for quite a while, unable to move, simply watching. Then a few of the cyclists invited me, saying, “Come and have coffee with us!” So I joined the line and ordered a coffee with them.

It seemed that two cycling groups had gathered that morning, and I was told that the number of participants changes with the seasons. During pleasant months such as May, more than twice as many people may gather. In contrast, during the harsh winter, there may be fewer than ten. It is wonderful to think that this is simply an ordinary weekly scene at FUGLEN. Today’s Coffee, by the way, was served self-service like this.

People in Oslo share the things and moments they find comfortable in such a natural way. They never impose them on anyone; they simply share what they genuinely feel is good. I came to truly love the people of this city and the warmth they carry.

During this trip, I worked for two days at each of FUGLEN’s two Oslo locations, the Roastery and Sentrum, where the Oslo team welcomed me as one of their own. The Roastery is a café connected to our roasting facility, while Sentrum is FUGLEN’s original location, which has been operating since 1963.

What I noticed while working and spending time in Oslo was how natural and relaxed everyone seemed, both staff and customers. There was little sense of distance based on whether someone was serving or being served. Everyone there interacted on an equal footing, each person simply being themselves, with delicious coffee between them. It felt good to observe from the outside and equally comfortable to experience while working there.

I was staying close to the Roastery, so I went to FUGLEN for coffee every morning before work. “The people are simply themselves, the space feels comfortable, and the coffee is delicious.” Experiencing that atmosphere firsthand made me realize that perhaps a place you want to visit every day is much simpler than we tend to imagine.

FUGLEN Kyoto is located in Shichiku, Kita-ku, a neighborhood filled with children walking to elementary school, people taking their dogs for walks, customers enjoying a cup of coffee before work, and others out running or cycling. The natural warmth of this neighborhood somehow reminded me of the scenes I encountered in Oslo.

I hope we can continue to be a place where everyone can feel at ease and where delicious coffee is always waiting whenever they visit.