#Today's sweet treat, the roasted green tea shaved ice set from Sakurai Hojaryo Kenkyujo. I came to eat it again this year. I've already tried the sansho pepper syrup, so I should have gone with the red shiso syrup instead. Oh well, I forgot the taste anyway. The set contents are the same as last year. It starts with a blend of sencha and gyokuro matcha. The sansho pepper syrup is not too sweet, so after confirming the taste of the hojicha syrup on its own, you can just pour it all over. The hojicha is from Yabukita in Shizuoka, with a fresh roasted aroma. This year's cold tea course costs 10,000 yen. It's a tourist-oriented shop, but the focus on unique tea blends adds an interesting twist. #SweetTooth #Dessert #Sweets #Sweet #Dessert #SweetsClub #Snack #TokyoGourmet #TokyoSweets #OmotesandoSweets #Cafe #CafeHopping #TokyoCafe #OmotesandoCafe #JapaneseTea #GreenTea #RoastedGreenTea #Matcha #Hojicha #ShavedIce #JapaneseShavedIce

Visited at 3:00 pm on a sunny Sunday. The place was almost full, but we managed to get a seat. Chose the Gyokuro and Japanese sweets for 2,380 yen. It was a unique experience, not just your usual green tea. First, enjoyed the aroma of the Gyokuro tea leaves. The first steeping was done with lukewarm water at 35 degrees. It had a refreshing green scent. The second steeping brought out a deeper flavor. The third steeping was closer to regular tea, but the umami and bitterness were completely different. Finally, we were served the brewed tea leaves with salted ponzu sauce. I was hesitant to eat tea leaves, but it was a soft and unique experience, similar to eating boiled vegetables. It was interesting to learn that high-quality tea leaves can be eaten. Chose the chestnut yokan for the Japanese sweets, which had a rich chestnut flavor that paired well with the tea. It was a wonderful experience. They also offer tea courses where you can pair tea with alcohol, fruits, and have avant-garde presentations. There were a few foreigners there, but I hope they don't mistake this for everyday Japanese life.

Recently, more and more restaurants require online reservations in advance. I made a reservation through Table Check about two weeks ago. Table Check sends reminders until the day of the reservation, which is very helpful. I always enjoy seasonal tea at this place ^^ It's my favorite spot and I would like to recommend it to my friends. I only give ⭐️5 stars to the places I truly love on Instagram. My Instagram handle is taiwan_natural_you. I only go to natural and organic shops, cafes, and tea houses. My reviews can be found on Tabelog here: https://tabelog.com/rvwr/021011976/

This is a stylish tea shop where you can enjoy high-quality tea in a nice atmosphere. I had freshly roasted hojicha with a wonderful aroma, while my friend had sencha which also had a great scent. They present the tea leaves of the day for you to choose from, which can be a bit overwhelming due to the variety. I look forward to trying out different types of tea in the future.

Revisit. Located on Omotesando, along Route 246, on the 5th floor of Spiral, is the authentic Japanese tea specialty store, Sakurai Tea Roasting Laboratory. There is a counter with about 8 seats at the back, where you can enjoy tea properly. They have their own roasting machine, so you can taste various types of Japanese tea such as sencha, matcha, and roasted tea. They also offer alcoholic beverages made with tea. First, a kaishi (paper napkin) is provided. Kaishi is originally a paper carried in the kimono sleeve, and in tea ceremony, it serves the purpose of holding sweets, wiping away dirt, or cleaning the mouth. - Tencha: First, they provide tencha leaves for you to smell the aroma. It's truly a Japanese scent. Tencha is the leaves before grinding into matcha. Matcha is made by grinding this into a powder, and they then serve the tencha at the right temperature. - Usucha with sweets: Hoshino Seichaen "Hojyu" (1,850 yen tax included) Sweets: Sakurai Kanseido "Kuri Yokan", HIGASHIYAMA man seasonal confectionery with cocoa mass. There are still many foreign customers. They may have been introduced in a foreign version guidebook. It's great that Japanese culture is being shared with foreigners, but we Japanese should study more about our own culture.

Before heading to the yakiniku restaurant "Isshin Furin," which is not listed on Tabelog, take a breather at the authentic Japanese tea specialty shop, Sakurai Hojicha Laboratory, located on the 5th floor of Spiral along Route 246 in Shibuya. There is a small L-shaped counter with about 8 seats at the back, where you can thoroughly enjoy various types of Japanese tea, including sencha, matcha, and roasted tea. They also offer alcoholic drinks made with tea. They have a course that takes about 1.5 hours, but this time we ordered a la carte. With the a la carte order, you get a Japanese sweet as well. You can choose from the sweets available that day, and on this day, we chose 2 out of 6 types of sweets, with one being an additional order. First, they provide you with a paper napkin. In the tea ceremony, the paper napkin is used to serve sweets and to wipe away any stains or to clean the mouth. They first offer you the tea leaves of tencha to smell the aroma. It is truly a Japanese scent. Tencha is the tea leaves before they are ground into matcha. They grind it into powder to make matcha. After that, they serve you the tea made from tencha at a suitable temperature. We tried Marukyu Koyamaen's Wako (1,800 yen tax included), which is a light tea with a nice aroma. The second sweet was a Tang Tea, which is a spicy Japanese sweet with a red tea taste and a spice paste with cinnamon. It was delicious. It is a handmade Japanese sweet from HIGASHIYA man. The third sweet was a Kaju Mochi with fruits and nuts (440 yen tax included), which is a unique sweet with a black sugar base and a texture of fruits and nuts added to the traditional Kaju Mochi. After the matcha, they serve you a hot water to enjoy the remaining matcha flavor. This is a unique service offered by the shop and not part of the tea ceremony. However, it is a wonderful cup in the Zen temple sense as it allows you to enjoy the tea without wasting any of it. Lastly, they served us with a sweet red bean paste with Tamba black beans. The atmosphere is quiet and calming, allowing you to momentarily forget about the hustle and bustle of the city.

I visited to study about tea. I ordered a tea course costing around 10,000 yen, and the aroma of the tea being brewed filled the store, making it feel like I was in a restaurant. The staff were like elegant bartenders at a high-end bar, and their meticulous actions impressed me. I learned about their actions, water temperature, steeping time, and their dedication, giving me a new experience.

Visited alone on a Sunday afternoon after 1 pm. I didn't make a reservation but there were no other customers so I was seated right away. As soon as you enter, the eat-in space is on the left. There are around 10 seats at the L-shaped counter. The interior has a calm color scheme and a high-quality feel, but with large windows, it's bright and has a welcoming atmosphere. The staff is inside the counter area, explaining the menu and brewing tea. The menu is extensive, offering light meals, desserts, cocktails mixed with Japanese tea, and Japanese tea with tea sweets. I was in the mood for a refreshing tea after my meal, so I ordered the following: - Sencha and Japanese sweets for 1900 yen They offer 6 types of sencha to choose from. You can see the actual tea leaves and they explain the origin and taste characteristics. However, since all explanations are verbal, I tend to forget the first one I heard (^◇^;). So, I chose the one that was explained last, which had a scent like watermelon from Makinohara, Shizuoka. You can also choose from several types of tea sweets that come with the sencha. After choosing the tea, they explain the tea sweets. They show you the actual sweets like yokan and manju beautifully arranged in a wooden container. Can I really eat all of this?! I thought, but it turns out you can only choose one from these. I kept my thoughts to myself and chose the manju with almond flavor filling. The performance of pouring tea right in front of you at the counter is interesting. The way they pour every last drop carefully into the cup and elegantly remove any water droplets, it's quite captivating (*⁰▿⁰*). I think you might feel like recording a video of this. Especially for foreigners interested in Japanese culture, this performance might be fascinating. The first steeping of tea is light and refreshing, with a green and fresh flavor typical of sencha. I enjoyed it with the tea sweets, finished it, and then they brewed the second steeping for me. This time, they served smoked salmon and pickled vegetables as tea accompaniments, which was a pleasant surprise for me. The second steeping had a richer and more fragrant taste than the first one. And after finishing the second cup, they brewed the third one, which would be the last. You can enjoy up to three steepings of tea. It's rare to have such a leisurely time to savor tea. Sometimes, this kind of luxury is nice.

After lunch, my daughter suddenly said she wanted to eat shaved ice, so we came here. It was a weekday, but the place was still full, so we gave them our phone number and they told us to call back when it was our turn. We waited for about 30 minutes. The seating was only at the counter with 8 seats. The menu had a lot of interesting options, but since I was already full, I opted for freshly roasted tea (with Japanese sweets). First, you choose from 6 types of tea leaves, all explained verbally, so I forgot the names as I picked one on a whim. The accompanying sweets had 4 options, and I chose the seasonal wheat gluten bun, which was very fresh and delicious, although a bit challenging to eat just with chopsticks. They refilled the tea about 3 times, and even included smoked herring. The staff seemed busy, so there wasn't much detailed explanation apart from the initial tea selection, but they were willing to explain if asked. My daughters had the roasted tea shaved ice for 2500 yen, with a choice of sansho pepper or red shiso syrup. The shaved ice was not the fluffy modern kind, but the traditional type. They also got cold-brewed green tea, smoked herring, and roasted tea before and after the shaved ice. There were other options like tea-infused cocktails, tea pairings with alcohol or meals, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their own experience. The bar-like counter setup made it fun to watch the performances. This was my first experience at such a tea-focused place, but I can see how it can be even more enjoyable with more tea knowledge. It would probably be appreciated by foreign visitors as well.

Today's sweet treat is the kakigori and tea from Sakurai Hojicha Laboratory. I originally planned to go for the iced tea course, but I ended up having a drink at the previous shop and now my stomach is too full, so I switched to the kakigori course. The course includes cold-brewed sencha, hojicha kakigori, and two servings of freshly roasted hojicha. The cold-brewed sencha is a blend of deep-steamed gyokuro, two types of sencha (yabukita, suishoku), and matcha mixed and brewed cold. It is rich in flavor and sweetness. The hojicha kakigori has a syrup with a strong bitterness and astringency, balanced with sweetness, resulting in a rich flavor. It has a fragrant roasted aroma, with brown rice on top as an accent. The separately provided sansho pepper syrup is surprisingly sweet yet spicy, creating a completely different taste when poured on top. The freshly roasted hojicha is prepared by brewing the smoking tea leaves from the roasting pot into a teapot. It's truly freshly roasted. There were many foreign customers today, appreciating the deliciousness of Japanese tea. The price is 2500 yen, which seems reasonable compared to the tea course. It's a shop that leans towards creative twists rather than traditional. The iced tea course is available until September. #SweetTooth #Dessert #Sweets #Cafe #Matcha #GreenTea #Kakigori #JapaneseTea #SanshoPepper #Tea

I have always loved this tea shop. It's not a place for chatting, but I love the calming atmosphere and often come here when I want to be alone and relax. I enjoy the delicious tea while zoning out. They serve seasonal tea sweets which I love to indulge in with my tea. I also enjoy watching the performance of preparing the tea in front of me. The prices are a bit high, but considering the atmosphere and to keep away unwanted customers, it seems reasonable. They also serve shaved ice in the summer, which I am curious to try.

The valuable experience of tasting roasted green tea was elegant and very delicious. The tea kakigori, priced at 2500 yen, seemed a bit high at first, but being able to try a second serving and receiving excellent service made it worth it. The pickles served were also delicious and everything had a sophisticated and delicious taste that justified the price. The restaurant was filled with a wonderful aroma, creating a happy atmosphere. It is definitely a restaurant worth visiting, especially perfect for the summer season.

On this day, I was guided by Jinya-kun to "Sakurai Hojya Kenkyujo" for the opportunity to try the 2022 new tea "No.2-11 Shuntaro" from Tanegashima. We enjoyed a tea course that included hand-picked tea, blended tea, roasted tea, hojicha, and matcha, each paired with appropriate snacks, in a quiet space.

Sakurai Hojicha Research Institute's tea course for 4900 yen. I tried the course at a Japanese tea specialty store. Uji Gyokuro from Gokou. Extracted at 35 degrees for 3 minutes. First steep. Very rich and strong umami flavor. Since it's not hot, the taste and aroma are very good. Second steep. Slightly diluted, giving a refreshing feeling. Third steep as iced tea. Two shiso leaves on the tea leaves, two in the tea pot. Pour tea into the pot, add ice, stir to make it iced. Pour into a glass, place one shiso leaf on the tea in the glass. Finally, squeeze yuzu peel from a distance for fragrance. Nice aroma. It has a refreshing feeling, perfect for hot days. Eating the tea leaves. Sprinkle with salt ponzu. Maybe because it's Gyokuro, there's no bitterness or astringency. But not much tea flavor either. Well, it's the leftover leaves. The shiso added earlier has the most presence, haha. But even this shiso has an elegant taste and aroma. The shiso leaves stuck to the glass are also delicately flavored when eaten. Next, hojicha. Choose one from five varieties while receiving an explanation. I chose Yabukita from Kyoto. It's freshly roasted right away. Second steep. I was told it has a sweet honey-like aroma, but as a Japanese tea beginner, I didn't quite understand. However, it's very fragrant and delicious. The taste is quite bitter. The tea accompaniment is pickled vegetables and grilled sesame tofu. Lastly, matcha and Japanese sweets. I chose a sweet wrapped in soybean paste with macadamia nuts. I was tempted by the new tea, but I thought it might be overshadowed by the taste of matcha, so I decided against it. I could see the process of making matcha. Depending on the seat, sometimes right in front of you. Matcha is direct tea, indeed. A fittingly strong taste to end the meal. Although it's quite pricey, it was a fun time experiencing the depth of Japanese tea. It's a quiet and pleasant atmosphere inside the store, and I would love to visit this luxurious place occasionally.

Counter service only. Upon entering, I was greeted by a serene atmosphere. I was invited by a friend who knows a lot about tea. I chose from a variety of teas such as sencha, hojicha, and blended tea, each with different flavors and origins. The beauty of the tea's flavors was truly exquisite. I had a very pleasant time. There were also foreign guests, and I saw a unique presentation of pouring matcha into beer to create layers. There is an English menu available as well. Once the situation with COVID-19 settles down, it would be nice to introduce this place to international guests. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

My son was hospitalized. It may seem strange to write about this on Tabelog, but I find this platform to be a place where I can express my unstable emotions multiple times a day without revealing my identity. Today, I left my son's bedside to my husband and went to a hospital in Omotesando for my annual check-up. The ultrasound had a 40-person wait, so I decided to kill time at a nearby cafe as usual. I chose the Sakurai Hojicha Laboratory at Spiral. As expected, the menu was lined with Omotesando prices. I just wanted tea and sweets, so I ordered a set with sweets included. It cost 1,750 yen. The sweets were yomogi mochi. There was a cold agar jelly made with shiratama flour, and a butter-filled date palm cake, but I was hungry. The Japanese tea served at the beginning didn't leave much of an impression. Here comes the yomogi mochi. Delicious! It was a high-quality yomogi mochi without a sticky sweetness. I haven't had fresh sweets in a while. As someone who dabbles in tea ceremony, I always think that matcha should be served after finishing the sweets. But in a busy restaurant, that's impossible, so it's understandable if they bring it while you're still eating the sweets. When it was served, I immediately enjoyed the hot tea. The refill was from Marukyu Koyamaen, so it was no problem. It was delicious. The tea was a bit strong for some, but tea lovers may appreciate it. It was a strong light tea. A black bean sweet like sweetened black soybeans arrived. It was made with high-quality beans and tasted delicious. I looked at the tea bowl. The rust-like red against the black background was a nice touch. Looking at the official website, it seems to be part of the HIGASHIYA group. The yomogi mochi also seems to be from HIGASHIYA. It's more of a HIGASHIYA price than an Omotesando price.

In Taiwan, tea cocktails are booming. By extracting the components of tea, you can experience the rich aroma of tea. This kind of initiative is not surprising in Japan either. Tea and alcohol fusion is not uncommon. Tea cocktails with black tea are popular worldwide. Of course, coffee cocktails are also available. This restaurant has been offering them for a while now. They have 18 types of "tea cocktails" such as sencha gin, gyokuro shochu, kabusecha vodka, and matcha beer. By soaking tea leaves in alcohol, the taste and aroma of tea are transferred. They carefully select alcohol that does not disrupt the taste of tea. Tea cocktails are a fusion of tea and alcohol. This time, Sakura Sencha Research Institute offers an original cocktail featuring cherry blossoms. The salt-pickled cherry leaves add depth to the flavor. The drink comes with a traditional Japanese confection called Doamyouji yokan for 1950 yen.

Sakurai Hojicha Laboratory @ Omotesando I had always wanted to visit this place and the tea they offer, made from carefully selected tea leaves from all over Japan, was delicious ✨ —————————————————— Business hours: 11:00-23:00 Closed on: None Seating: 8 seats Address: 5-6-23 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062, Spiral Building 5F Access: 3-minute walk from Omotesando Station (Ginza Line/Chiyoda Line/Hanzomon Line) Phone: 03-6451-1539 —————————————————— #SakuraiHojichaLaboratory #Omotesando #OmotesandoCafe #OmotesandoGourmet #Minato-ku #MinamiAoyama #Tea #TeaTime #TeaLeaves #TokyoCafe #TokyoGourmet #LongTimeNoSee #DayOff #HowToSpendADayOff #VeryFulfilling #Tokyo #Tea #TeaTime