"SABOE OKAYAMA" opened near Okayama Korakuen Garden in November 2024. We enjoyed a course meal of Japanese tea along with sweets from "HIGASHIYA" and Japanese sweets from Okayama's long-established shop "Seifuan."
2025.01.22-
Table of contents
- What is "SABOE OKYAMA"?
- A shop renovated from a reception room
- "T.,Collection Tasting" corner where you can sample tea
- The Ten Different Ways to Enjoy Tea
- You can also buy sweets from Tokyo's "HIGASHIYA"
- A teahouse converted from a storehouse
- Enjoy tea and sweets course
- Food events are also held in the hidden room
What is "SABOE OKYAMA"?
SABOE, which operates shops and teahouses for enjoying Japanese tea mainly in Tokyo , opened "SABOE OKAYAMA" in Kita Ward ku, Okayama Okayama City in November 2024. The shop is at the entrance with the noren curtain, and the storehouse on the right is the teahouse. It is located in a corner of the former Fukuoka Soy Sauce building.
A new spot close to Okayama Korakuen Garden
"SABOE OKYAMA" is located at the entrance to Okayama Korakuen Garden. From the intersection in front of you, you can see the railing of Tsurumi Bridge, which leads to Okayama Korakuen Garden.
A shop renovated from a reception room
Once you pass through the noren curtain and open the glass door, you'll find the shop. The shop was renovated from the reception room of the old Fukuoka Soy Sauce building, so the glass is retro and the shop has a calming atmosphere that blends old and new. This is also why the entrance is a little high, and for a moment I wondered if it was okay to go in with my shoes on, but I decided to go inside with my shoes on.
"T.,Collection Tasting" corner where you can sample tea
There is a "T.,Collection Tasting" corner at the entrance to the shop, where you can scoop tea into a paper cup with a spoon and try it out. The types of tea change with the seasons, but we were able to try "GYOKU," a gyokuro ensemble; "KIN," a blend of roasted green tea, apple, and ginger; and "SEI," a blend of blue bancha tea from Chageyama in Okayama Prefecture, fig leaves, and cinnamon leaves. The "SEI" leaves had a refreshing aroma and were a natural blue color.
The Ten Different Ways to Enjoy Tea
The process of identifying the individuality of each tea leaf and combining them to make the most of their strengths is called "gogumi." Japanese tea is a blend of tea leaves, each with its own unique aroma and flavor, brought out by different manufacturing methods. On display are ten types of blended teas from "T.collection.ogata," which combines various Japanese teas with fruits and grains.
They also stock locally-sourced teas, including the popular "SEI" tea from Chashimoyama , Okayama Prefecture. The tea bags come with tea leaves and can be turned upside down to create a cup, made from a material that will eventually return to the earth. "BENI" is a tea based on black tea, oolong tea, and black grape leaves, with aromas of osmanthus, pickled plums, prunes, bekko candy, baked apples, and grapes. Since it was the only black tea available, I decided to buy it. I felt that choosing tea that matches the season and my physical condition can enrich my life.
You can also buy sweets from Tokyo's "HIGASHIYA"
I'm happy that "HIGASHIYA" sweets, which were previously only available in Tokyo, can now be purchased here. I recommend "Higashiya Hitokuchi Yokan" for its refined sweetness. The sake lees have no alcoholic taste and taste like amazake, so even I, who don't like alcohol, enjoyed it. The fig flavor is fruity and recommended for women.
A teahouse converted from a storehouse
Once you leave the shop, you can enter the tea room by following the staff's instructions and opening the door to the adjacent storehouse. It was just like a secret door in a ninja house.
The calm atmosphere of the tea room
The tea room is a renovated storehouse that was formerly a Fukuoka soy sauce storehouse, and the windows and pillars have been left as they were in the original style, creating a calm atmosphere.
Enjoy tea and sweets course
There is a staff member at the counter who will guide you through the menu. This time, I ordered the "Tea, Sweets and Appetizers" set (2,750 yen), which lasts about 30 minutes. By the way, the "Small Tea Ceremony with One Pour, One Tea" (5,500 yen) lasts about an hour. The ladle used as a tea utensil is usually round, but the square one was a novelty.
Choose tea that suits your mood and physical condition
Tea leaves are lined up in small plates in a wooden box. Each one is carefully explained to me, and I choose the tea I like best. The aromas and effects are fascinating, and I experienced the joy of choosing tea to suit my mood and physical condition that day. On this day, I chose the sixth tea blend, "JUKU," on the far left of the counter. It is a blend of aged bancha tea, pu-erh tea, and roasted bancha tea, and has a smoky aroma.
Warming the tea utensils
The hot water, heated in an electric kettle, is scooped up with a square ladle and slowly poured into the tea utensils to warm them. In the quiet tea room, time passes slowly, listening to the sound of the water being poured and feeling the steam rising. It is also a time to calm the mind. The style of sitting at the counter is also modern. The tea-making method is apparently original to SABOE.
Choice of sweets
You can choose one of the sweets that are brought to you in a wooden box. The manju are from Seifuan in Okayama City, but the rest are from HIGASHIYA. Being able to choose is a nice service.
The castella cake, made with Nagasaki's Kuchiwara eggs, has a chewy texture and the granulated sugar adds a nice accent. It's not sold in the shop, but you can purchase it online. Other treats included burnt honey yokan, fruit and nut Domyoji jelly, and Seifuan's Japanese sweet "Matsu."
HIGASHIYA's delicious castella!
The castella cake was presented elegantly in beautifully presented dishes and decorations. Its chewy texture and rich flavor made it satisfying to eat, further enhancing the deliciousness of the tea that followed. It was truly a blissful moment.
"Atei Hassun" and seasonal blended tea
We were served "Atei Hassun" and a seasonal blended tea on a tall, Japanese-style plate. The Hassun is 24cm tall and has three types of sweets on it. They were strawberries from Okayama Prefecture, wasanbon fuyaki with Daitokuji natto as an accent, and jujube butter made with walnuts and fermented butter. The contents change depending on the season. The tableware and tea utensils are from SABOE's original "Sゝゝ" brand. Sweets other than the strawberry can be purchased at the shop. Jujube is Toyotomi in iron and is recommended as it is good for women's bodies.
Food events are also held in the hidden room
The tea room not only serves tea courses starting at 1pm, but also operates as a bar in the evenings, and their tea-infused cocktails are popular. There's also a hidden annex in the Oku, where they occasionally hold food events featuring Michelin-starred chefs (announced on Instagram). Why not enjoy a traditional Japanese experience with delicious sweets and tea at this popular spot near Okayama Korakuen Garden ?
[SABOE OKYAMA]
Address: 17-35 Yuminocho, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 086-207-2779
Opening hours: Shop 11:00-17:00, Tea room 13:00-23:00
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays (open on public holidays)
Parking: None
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