A 6-minute walk from Fukiage Station on the Sakuradori Subway Line, YATAGARASU, a Japanese tea café that opened in May 2019, is a rare opportunity to rediscover Japanese tea, a long-time favorite in Japan and an essential part of daily life.

In addition to the cafe, the owner of YATAGARASU also manages a design office and realizes a lifestyle surrounded by things he likes. We asked him about his commitment to tea leaves and other products, and how to enjoy Japanese tea.

What is YATAGARASU?

A white curtain flutters along the roadside. In the center is a design of Yatagarasu, the god of guidance who appears in Japanese mythology. Yatagarasu, from which the store's name is derived, represents the wish that the Japanese tea cafe YATAGARASU will be a gateway to bring people and things together.

The property, which was found by chance, used to be a hair salon. The entrance, which retains the atmosphere of those days, is impressive.

The minimalist interior has a counter and eight seats at a table. The aroma of tea wafting from the incense burner and the soothing wood grain, white, and black tones soothe the senses.

The menu includes 4 types of Sencha green tea (HOT/ICE), a lineup of Japanese tea drinks such as lattes and affoguards, and 2 types of Monaka (thin crispy cookie) to accompany Japanese tea. The menu is designed to allow you to enjoy Japanese tea as simply as possible.

How to enjoy Japanese tea

There are four types of sencha (Yabukita, Samidori, Meiroku, Yamakai), all of which are single-origin and not blended. This time I tried "Yabukita".

They sought advice from Japanese tea farmers and arrived at the ultimate way to enjoy Japanese tea. The tea is brewed three times hot, and the temperature of the water is varied to enjoy the different flavors of the tea.

The first brew is about 50 degrees Celsius, and you can enjoy the sweet taste similar to dashi stock slowly dissolving from the tea leaves. The third roast is about 70 degrees Celsius, which gives the impression of being easy to drink with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

And finally, the tea leaves are served with a bowl of otsuyu (soy sauce and dashi stock) and wasabi (Japanese horseradish) to your liking. The tea leaves became soft and tender, but still had a nice crunchy texture, which was very tasty.