In 2024, Yoshiya made it to the semi-finals for the first time, finishing in 7th place. Only the top 6 advance to the finals, so he was just one step away from success.

However, his own perception is slightly different.

"I felt like I could still do better, which is why I finished in 7th place."

Seventh place wasn't a result of giving it his all. It was a seventh-place finish while still feeling he could aim higher, which is why his determination for this year is so strong. While touching on the structure of the competition, which is often said to have a lineup of top competitors that rarely changes, Yoshiya 's stance remained consistent. "I don't really pay that much attention to who's competing. It's more of a battle against myself."

Yoshiya competed in the semi-finals in 2024.

While CROWD ROASTER often features Yoshiya as a roaster, when asked if he participates in the JCRC (Japan Coffee Roasting Championship) as a roaster, he gave a surprising answer.

"I do participate in other roasting competitions. I do, but... I've kind of already got my foot in the door to becoming a barista."

Yoshiya says that juggling being a barista and competing in the JCRC (Japan Coffee Roasting Championship) simultaneously is quite challenging. One of the reasons he cited was the unique characteristics of coffee roasting as a competition.

"In a really official coffee roasting competition, I think the machine (roasting machine) plays a big role. I think there are aspects where you can't do anything without the machine."

Few roasters own the roasting machines used in competitions. The practical hurdle of having to travel to someone who owns one to roast coffee for them seems to be a different kind of burden compared to barista competitions. Right now, Yoshiya has chosen to focus on the JBC rather than trying to balance both.

Yoshiya 's roasting machine was originally a Fuji Royal. It was a good machine that he had used for a long time, but he wanted something better, so he ended up with a custom-made machine from Tokyo Sangyo.

Theきっかけ (trigger) was hearing from an engineer from Tokyo Sangyo that there were unassembled parts at the factory. He was encouraged by the words, "We might be able to make this now," and decided to place an order. He traveled to the factory in Saitama and came face to face with a machine he had never seen before.

When asked why he chose it, Yoshiya replied:

"The reason I chose it is because it seemed good."

Rather than a logical comparison and consideration, it was an intuitive encounter. The selection was based on feeling.

"I don't think it's about whether the beans will roast well or whether the oven will roast well."

This story resonates with the choice of an older Probat roaster made by YUYA IWASAKI , the person I spoke with last time. IWASAKI also said, "If you're into coffee, you're bound to want a Probat," indicating that he chose his equipment based on feeling. The conversation also touched upon the fact that the gas in IWASAKI 's roaster is manually adjustable, and it seems that the idea of ​​"changing the size of the flame yourself, rather than relying on numerical values" was familiar to Yoshiya as well. Indeed, the choice of roaster is a part that greatly influences the individuality of the roaster.

When asked by a viewer, "What are the best points of your roasting process?", Yoshiya thought for a moment and then replied:

"Perhaps it's the sweetness. It's sweet and beautiful."

Sweetness and cleanliness. These are the core keywords of Yoshiya 's roasting. At CROWD ROASTER 's roasting events, multiple roasters sometimes roast and serve the same beans. If you want to notice the difference that only Yoshiya 's roasting brings, you might want to keep these two words in mind when comparing the two.

His favorite brand is Ethiopian. When asked about brands he's not good at, he confidently replied, "None in particular."

Coincidentally, on this very day, CROWD ROASTER had just received a new crop of Ethiopian coffee. "It's like encountering familiar Ethiopian coffee after a long time," Yamamoto commented on the batch.

Ethiopia is a coffee-producing region that even people unfamiliar with coffee know; it holds a king-like position in the industry. I'm also looking forward to the roasting event where Yoshiya will roast this lot.

Yoshiya has been involved with CROWD ROASTER as a roaster since its early days in 2021. When asked "What are some of the best beans you've roasted for CROWD ROASTER so far?", he thought for a moment and then listed the following.

"I thought the anaerobic Brazil was good."

The Brazilian anaerobic coffee was roasted around 2024. Yoshiya expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to encounter beans that they wouldn't normally come across through their network, thanks to the roasting event.

The conversation also touched upon CROWD ROASTER 's criteria for selecting beans. They primarily use traditional processing methods, but they draw a line between that and avoiding excessive fermentation.

"We tend to have a lot of traditional-looking items," (Yamamoto)

The roasting event is a system where CROWD ROASTER users can select beans and place an order with a roaster. Orders approved by the roaster can then be joined by other users. Yoshiya 's relationship with CROWD ROASTER has been built up over five years through projects such as roasting events.

Regarding increasing the options for green coffee beans, Yamamoto also shared this vision.

"As a product that can be selected as green beans, we need to think about the user interface and so on, but honestly, the more choices there are, the more fun it is. For coffee enthusiasts, there will be things like wanting to have a particular roaster roast a particular country's crop."

Amidst this discussion, Yoshiya also mentioned the existence of an event bearing his own name and appealed to the viewers with the following message.

"There are events that I've been able to launch under my own name, so I'd be happy if those of you listening would join in too."

It was a moment that conveyed their enthusiasm to make this roast event even more exciting in the future.

Towards the end of the discussion, a question from a viewer struck a nerve: "Please tell us about the frustration of losing and the secret to recovering from it."

Yoshiya thought for a while before beginning to speak, carefully choosing his words.

"I don't know, I just can't put this into words."

I still feel frustrated because I lost last year. Ultimately, the person I want to get revenge on is myself.

"I feel like I'm stronger than this, like I can do more. That's the kind of feeling I have, after all."

Yoshiya says that it's a little different from mere ambition.

"Isn't that just self-satisfaction?"

Then he brought up this story: When Hirotada Ototake was in the midst of a scandal, he fled to Australia, where no one knew him. There, he was able to live freely, unnoticed by anyone. But in the end, he returned to Japan because he found it "boring." Yoshiya prefaced this by saying, "It's a story I borrowed," but he felt a connection to it.

"Having a challenge like the JBC at the same time every year probably makes you feel more alive, regardless of whether it's fun or not."

Ultimately, when asked about the secret to recovery, Yoshiya says, "It may seem like everyone has recovered, but they're really just trying to recover."

And finally, he concluded with this:

"There's no secret to recovering from setbacks, even for me. But that frustration is what motivates me when it comes to competitions."

He throws himself into a world where only one person can win, year after year. There is no way to escape the frustration other than to produce results — that was Yoshiya 's unpretentious answer.

As an adult, there aren't many opportunities to willingly put yourself in a situation where you feel such intense frustration. While you experience frustration in everyday life, throwing yourself into the competitive world of sports is a different matter entirely. Yet, Yoshiya continues to bear this burden.

If you ask me if it's fun, I'd say it is. But there's something more to it than just that. It's something that gives you a lot of stimulation, Yoshiya said with a laugh.

At the end of the conversation, an unexpected commonality was revealed. Yamamoto and Yoshiya were both born in 1986, making them the same age. Both will turn 40 next month.

"Well, they say life gets more fun from 40 onwards."

"I don't know, though."

The conversation, which lasted for nearly an hour, came to a close amidst lighthearted banter. Yoshiya 's words, "I'm just trying to get back on my feet," would be continued on the stage of the JBC qualifiers.

Interview and text by: Shohei Yamamoto, CROWD ROASTER