"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 "Seifuan", a long-established Okayama shop.
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 many ways to enjoy tea
- You can also buy sweets from Tokyo's "HIGASHIYA"
- A teahouse renovated 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 where customers can enjoy Japanese tea mainly in Tokyo, opened "SABOE OKAYAMA" in Yuminocho , Kita Ward, Okayama Okayama City in November 2024. The shop is at the entrance with the noren curtain, and the storehouse to the right is the teahouse. It is located in a corner of the former Fukuoka Soy Sauce building.
A new spot near 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 leading to Okayama Korakuen Garden.
A shop renovated from a reception room
Passing through the noren and opening the glass door, you will find the shop. The shop was created by renovating the reception room of the old Fukuoka Soy Sauce building, so the glass is retro and the atmosphere is calming, blending the old and the modern. The entrance is also a little high for that reason, and I hesitated for a moment whether it was okay to enter with my shoes on, but I decided to go inside with my shoes on.
"T., Collection Tasting" corner where you can sample tea
At the entrance to the shop, there is a "T.,Collection Tasting" corner 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 I was able to try "GYOKU" from the Gyokuro ensemble, "KIN" which is a blend of roasted green tea, apples and ginger, and "SEI" which is a blend of blue bancha tea from Chashimoyama in Okayama Prefecture, fig leaves and cinnamon leaves. The "SEI" leaves had a refreshing aroma and were a natural blue color.
The many 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 type of tea that brings out a unique aroma and flavor from a single tea leaf depending on the manufacturing method. There are ten types of blended teas from "T.collection.ogata", which combine various Japanese teas with fruits and grains.
They also stock local teas, including the popular "SEI" tea from Chashimoyama in Okayama Prefecture. They offer tea leaves and tea bags, which can be turned into a cup when you take them out and turn them upside down, made from materials that will eventually return to the earth. "5 Beni" is a tea based on black tea, oolong tea, and black grape leaves, with aromas of osmanthus, pickled plums, prunes, tortoiseshell candy, baked apples, and grapes, and I bought it because it was the only black tea available. I felt that choosing tea according to the season and my physical condition can enrich my life.
You can also buy sweets from Tokyo's "HIGASHIYA"
I'm happy that I can now buy "HIGASHIYA" sweets here, which I could only buy in Tokyo. I recommend "Higashiya Hitokuchi Yokan" for its refined sweetness. The sake lees have no alcoholic taste and taste like sweet sake, so even I, who don't like alcohol, enjoyed it. The figs are fruity and recommended for women.
A teahouse renovated from a storehouse
Once you leave the shop, you can enter the tea room by following the staff's instructions to open the door to the storehouse next door. It looked just like the secret door in a ninja mansion.
The relaxing atmosphere of the tea room
The teahouse is a renovated storehouse that was formerly a Fukuoka soy sauce storehouse, and the windows and pillars have been left as they were, 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) for about 30 minutes. By the way, the "Small Tea Ceremony with One Pour and One Tea" (5,500 yen) lasts about an hour. The ladle used for the tea ceremony is usually round, but it was innovative that it was square.
Choose your tea based on your mood and condition
Tea leaves in small dishes are lined up in a wooden box. Each one is carefully explained to me, and I choose the tea I like. The aromas and effects are very interesting, and I experienced the joy of choosing tea to suit my mood and physical condition of the day. On this day, I chose the sixth blend tea, "JUKU," which is on the far left side of the counter. It is a blend of aged bancha tea, pu-erh tea, and roasted bancha tea, and you can enjoy the smoky aroma of this tea.
Warming the tea utensils
The hot water from the 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 flows slowly as you listen to the sound of the water pouring and feel the steam. It is also a time to calm your mind. The style of sitting on a chair at the counter was also modern. The way of making tea is said to be original to SABOE.
Choice of sweets
You 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 sugar added as a nice accent. It is not sold at the shop, but you can purchase it online. Other treats were burnt honey yokan, fruit and nut domyoji jelly, and Seifuan's Japanese sweet "Matsu".
HIGASHIYA's delicious castella cake!
The tableware and decoration were beautiful, and the castella cake was served with elegance. It had a chewy texture and a rich flavor that made it satisfying to eat, and it enhanced the deliciousness of the tea that followed. It was truly a blissful moment.
"Atei Hassun" and seasonal blended tea
We were served "Atei Hassun" on a tall, Japanese-style plate, with a seasonal blended tea. The Hassun is 24cm long and has three kinds of sweets on it: strawberries from Okayama Prefecture, wasanbon fuyaki accented with Daitokuji natto, and natsume butter made with walnuts and fermented butter. The contents change depending on the season. The dishes and tea utensils are from SABOE's original "Sゝゝ" brand. Sweets other than strawberry can be purchased at the shop. Natsume is rich in iron and is recommended as it is good for women's bodies.
Food events are also held in the hidden room
The teahouse not only serves tea courses from 1pm, but also operates as a bar in the evenings, and its tea-based cocktails are popular. There is also a hidden annex at the back, where food events are occasionally held, inviting Michelin 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, Kita Ward
TEL: 086-207-2779
Business hours: Shop 11:00-17:00, Cafe 13:00-23:00
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays (but open on public holidays)
Parking: None
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