Tokyo Story

Welcome to readers from Nepal

Fortune Cookie

あ な た の 舌 は あ な た の 大使 で あ る

Your tongue is your ambassador

Tokyo tea

Matcha in Shinjuku-Gyoen.

A ceremonial tea house in Shinjuku park. 

Tea Lady

Enjoying a tea sweet with Kazuyo

Shinjuku hoji-cha

See  http://singingbirdsingingbird.blogspot.com/2014/02/hoji-cha.html

for more on Hojicha.

Imperial Summer House

Oranges in Hatagaya district

Just by the park, north of Shinjuku is this tiny Generally east gate to the shop and the street runs parallel to the park. It is an upscale neighborhood maybe three hundred meters away from the congestion of Shinjuku Station. 

They have a nice line of teapots here and it was tough not to buy one. But I refrained deciding to wait for another opportunity.

It was a funny shop. It only took cash. The woman who managed the shop spoke good English and was happy to offer tastings. Politeness overflowed but underlying this deep expectation of the sale. Easily made. I was delighted to be there. I bought a traditional Japanese tea canister in lilac with a design on the side.

The Nihon-cha (tea master) carefully prepared the teas for the tasting.

I tried three teas here. All had distinct merits. Each released a scintilla of happiness. Each for different Reasons. 

Here I found a Karigane from Shizuoka, a sencha from Kyoto and a Kabusecha from Fukuoka and a gyokuro also from Kyoto.

More tea stores in Tokyo

Tai Hua Cha ,  Shibuya, Dogenzaka, 1-18-6, Tokyo

MariageFreres 

http://www.mariagefreres.com/

List of MariageFreres stores:

1.      Suzuran-Dori, 5-6-6 Ginza, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo

2.      1-28-1 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

3.      Meiji-Dori, 3-14-25 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

4.      1-1-3 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

5.      21-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo

6.      4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo

Happy Tea Drinking!