UCC Group’s Ueshima Coffee Toranomon branch was used as a filming location. Lead actor Kazunari Mamehara (JO1) received on-site instruction on coffee techniques from a dedicated instructor at the UCC Coffee Academy! The film “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness” opens on October 24th.
UCC Japan Co., Ltd. Press release: October 22, 2025 To Members of the Press The UCC Group’s Ueshima Coffee Toranomon branch was used as a filming location for the movie. A dedicated instructor from the UCC Coffee Academy also provided on-site coffee technique instruction to lead actor Kazunari Mamehara (JO1)! The film “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness” opens on October 24th. The Toranomon branch of UCC Group’s flagship cafe chain, Ueshima Coffee, was chosen as a filming location for the movie “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness,” which opens on October 24th and stars Mamehara Kazunari (JO1) and Ichige Yoshie. Additionally, UCC Group’s
specialized coffee education institution, the UCC Coffee Academy, provided support for all aspects of the coffee-related content, including providing technical guidance and dialogue supervision for the coffee brewing scenes for lead actor Mamehara Kazunari, who plays the main character, a man who is unsure of his dreams but has a passion for coffee.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-d0346877ba0833699e804bcc9de2e4a0-2056×1381.png Comment from lead actor Issei Mamehara (JO1) “Without the instructors, I wouldn’t have been able to play this role in this film. Thank you so much for teaching me so much.” Comment from the Director “I learned a lot about coffee and was also very grateful for the help I got from Ueshima Coffee. I think the UCC Coffee Academy instructors’
professional respect for coffee really enriched this film. Thank you very much.” Kenji Nakanishi (Director of the film “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness”) Profile and comments from the full-time instructor at UCC Coffee Academy Tokyo who provided coffee technique instruction
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-aa6168c93178d8ea2e5d994cbc4639fb-3900×2600.jpg UCC Coffee Academy Instructor: Hisashi Hayakawa He joined the UCC Group in 2007. The following year, he passed the UCC Coffee Advisor exam, one of the most difficult internal qualifications, on the first try. He subsequently went on to obtain a series of qualifications, including UCC Coffee Extractor, SCA (※1) Certified Q Grader (※2), and SCA Certified Trainer. He has been in his current position since 2015. He is highly regarded among the instructors for his expertise in coffee machines and his particularly high level of roasting skills. “I still remember the first time he visited the UCC Coffee Academy and experienced the world of coffee, and how deeply moved he was by the depth of coffee’s flavor. (Mamehara) is a sincere, honest, and kind young man, and I quickly became a fan. I cooperated with the filming, from teaching him how to use the roaster to the lines that describe the coffee’s flavor. It’s a heartwarming film, so please do check it out.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-9037a53e20055c21b906d41018c13b41-3900×2600.jpg UCC Coffee Academy Instructor: Masaya Kawaguchi He joined the company in 1993. After working in sales for over 20 years, he became an instructor at the UCC Coffee Academy Tokyo branch when it opened in 2015. He is a versatile instructor who can teach all classes in the Basic Course and Professional Course. Since 2020, he has served as the head of the Tokyo branch. He holds professional qualifications as a UCC Coffee Advisor, Coffee Extractor, Coffee Appraiser, and SCA Certified Q Grader (※2). “We assisted with the coffee brewing during filming at Grandma’s house, which appears in the movie. The scene where Mamehara-san carefully drips the coffee was very memorable. We are grateful for the opportunity to cooperate. If you have become interested in coffee through the film, please come visit the UCC Coffee Academy! ” *1: SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) A global coffee industry organization that sets quality standards and certification systems. *2: Q Grader An internationally recognized qualification in the coffee industry that evaluates and certifies coffee based on the standards of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). About UCC Coffee Academy
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-5b0cea2ffb308ebcdb0b9228ed91c14c-3900×2600.jpg Official website:https://www.ucc.co.jp/academy/ This is a
coffee-specialized academy where everyone from beginners to those looking to work in coffee can learn in a fun way. We hold various seminars at our Tokyo and Kobe campuses and online. For first-timers, we recommend the “Basic Course” (※3). You’ll learn about the charm of coffee, from the basics to how to enjoy delicious coffee. Let’s find a cup of coffee that will put a smile on your face together. ※3: Basic Course This course will teach you a wide range of information about coffee, from how to brew it deliciously to how to enjoy it every day. The origins of coffee, coffee extraction, how to brew delicious coffee, coffee basics, tasting, how to enjoy coffee (food pairing, etc.) Special cooperation: Ueshima Coffee Toranomon Branch The coffee shop where Takuma and Saki work part-time in the story Address: 1F Keihanshin Toranomon Building, 1-7-14 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0003 Business hours: Weekdays 7:00-19:00 / Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 11:00-18:00
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-4b6986a6c0c22d11379b4011c5d4c17b-3900×2600.jpg ●Synopsis of the film “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness” When his mother, Ayako (Miki Sakai), goes on a long business trip, his grandson, Takuma (Kazunari Mamehara), a somewhat unreliable college student, suddenly has to live with him, and his grandmother, Fumiko (Yoshie Ichige), lives alone. One day, Takuma and Fumiko learn that their late grandfather, Eishi (Nagatsuka Kyozo), had applied to a university lifelong college on Fumiko’s behalf. The kind surprise left by her husband inspires Fumiko, and the two end up studying at the same university! “I’ve come here to fulfill the dreams of my youth,” Fumiko says enthusiastically. Despite Takuma’s hesitation, she casually greets students in the classroom, calling them “Takkun!” and enjoying her student life. Watching his
grandmother, Fumiko, Takuma begins to reconsider the meaning of “finding a dream.” When his girlfriend, Saki (Yagi Rikako), asks him, “Is there anything you want to do, Takuma?” Fumiko encourages him by saying, “You like coffee, don’t you? It’s fun to do what you love,” and a change of heart slowly begins to grow in Takuma’s heart. Then, a mysterious mathematical formula that Takuma finds in his grandfather’s notebook leads the two to a new perspective. ● Overview of the film “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136988/25/136988-25-fd42e1cea5f9e1f59ac73baa5e398c75-1722×2436.jpg Starring: Issei Mamehara (JO1) (“Kamen Rider Revise: Battle Familia” (2022), “BADBOYS -THE MOVIE-” (2025), etc.) Yoshie Ichige (From the Gulag with Love (2022), Photo Studio (2024), etc.) Starring: Miki Sakai, Rikako Yagi, Emma Ichikawa, Ayutaka Fukuda (DXTEEN), Rei Fujita, Hidetoshi Hoshida/Kyōzō Nagatsuka Director: Kenji Nakanishi Theme song: “Hiraku” by JO1 (LAPONE ENTERTAINMENT) Script: Yukiko Manabe, Music: Goro Yasukawa, Production: PADMA Original Story: Yoshiko Shimada, “Trust Isn’t Sold in Department Stores: The Story of a Woman Who Walked with Her Students” (published by Kodansha Editorial), Overall Original Story Responsibility: Masakazu Shimada Distributed by: GAGA (C)2025 “Mount Fuji, Coffee, and the Formula for Happiness” Official website: https://gaga.ne.jp/fujisan_and_coffee Official X: @MtFujiMovie1024 Official Instagram: @MtFujiMovie1024
