Nanaya Shizuoka

In October I had the opportunity to revisit Nanaya/ななや Shizuoka.  When I first visited the shop in 2015, they were one of the first to introduce matcha gelato in grades from lightest to strongest flavor.  Since then, Nanaya has opened new shops across Japan as well as expanded their product line and distribution.  They even offer worldwide shipping!

Since my visit, the shop has moved to Gofukucho-dori, downtown Shizuoka City's main shopping street which also happens to be part of the Old Tokaido Road.  The new location allows more retail space for a wide range of tea products as well as a small casual seating area near the front.

For this visit, I picked up a beautifully packaged seasonal tea and three scoops of delicious gelato: No. 7 matcha (the boldest), hojicha, and sweet potato.

Address:
〒420-0031　静岡県静岡市葵区呉服町2丁目5-12
2 Chome-5-12 Gofukucho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0031, Japan

Hours:
11:00am to 7:00pm
Closed Wednesdays

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe 2025

During a recent road trip, I had the opportunity to visit Dudley's Bookshop Cafe, a fixture in downtown Bend, Oregon since 2009. I haven't been able to visit since the time of my first review in 2019 and was curious to see if anything had changed. 

I am delighted to share that Dudley's still offers a nice selection of loose leaf teas from Metolius Tea, Jasmine Pearl Tea Company, and Prana Chai, as well as coffee and baked goods.

Orders are placed at the counter and seating has moved upstairs.  I ordered the Prana Chai Masala Blend which was delicious as always.  They no longer provide the teapot and filter for you to pour yourself.

Aside from some decor changes and furniture moves, Dudley's feels like the same warm community bookshop and I look forward to the next visit.

If you're in the neighborhood, consider signing up for Dudley's Bookshop mailing list to stay updated on news and events.

Address:
135 NW Minnesota, Bend, Oregon 97701

Hours:
Mon: 10-5:00pm
Tue-Fri: 10:00am-6:00pm
Sat: 10:30am-6:00pm
Sun: 11-5:00pm

Clockwork Rose Tea Emporium

While in town for Tea Fest PDX last month, I had the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon tea at Clockwork Rose Tea Emporium.  The Steampunk-themed tea room first opened its doors in downtown Beaverton, Oregon in 2016.  

Just inside the entrance is a gift shop with a fun selection of decor, accessories, and treats.  Many of the teas on the menu are also available for purchase.

The tea room is spacious with plentiful seating and whimsical decor, well-suited for the steampunk theme as well as a Mad Hatter's tea party.  Some of my favorite touches along with the lovely vintage pieces were the 30-foot color-changing dirigible hanging over the banquet table, the tea cup chandelier, the hand-painted fireplace mantle and the random kraken sightings.  I was also particularly fond of the absinthe green upholstery.

The tea menu is extensive, largely favoring flavored blends including black, oolong, green, and white teas as well as tisanes.  My selection for this visit was the deliciously smoky Clockwork Rose house blend.

Our first course was a refreshing Caesar Salad.  This was followed by three tiers of savories and sandwiches, two types of scones with jam, lemon curd and clotted cream, as well as several sweets including blueberry panna cotta, macarons, and meringues.

The tea room can accommodate some dietary restrictions if they are noted while making the reservation.

Afternoon Tea is available by appointment only and reservations can be made by phone, email, or online.  

Clockwork Rose Tea Emporium hosts a number of themed tea events throughout the year.  Be sure to visit the official website for upcoming events.

Address:
12412 SW Broadway St, Beaverton, OR 97005

Hours:
Thursday-Saturday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

Closed Monday-Wednesday

Maruzen Tea Roastery

Recently, I visited Maruzen Tea Roastery on Gofukucho-dori, a popular shopping street in Shizuoka City.

Maruzen specializes in green teas roasted on-site and categorized by the roasting temperatures. They offer two steaming levels for the green tea, light/asamushi and deep/fukamushi, and then the temperature used for each 100C, 130C, 160C, and 200C.

Each roast is available prepared, packaged to brew at home, and as gelato. Meal and dessert sets, including seasonal offerings, are also available.

Purchases for dine-in and takeout orders can be placed at the counter just inside the door.  

Upstairs is the dining area where the warm wood tones and natural lighting lend warmth to the minimally decorated space.  Tea and meals are brought to your table, so you won't need to navigate the stairs while juggling a tray.

My tea for this visit was the 200℃ Dark Roast made from high grade tea leaves. I happened to drop in during a lull so I was able to rest from a long morning walk and catch up on some writing while sipping my tea and listening to the Ontario-based jazz station that was playing on the tea room speakers.  The tea was very good and the peaceful moment was much appreciated.

Address:

2 Chome-2ｰ5 Gofukucho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka, 420-0031, Japan

〒420−0031 静岡県静岡市葵区呉服町２丁目2-5

Hours:

11:00am to 6:00pm

Momijiyama Garden Teahouse

Recently, I revisited the teahouse inside Momijiyama Garden/紅葉山庭園. The garden is located in the northwest corner of Sumpu Castle Park at the heart of Shizuoka City in Shizuoka Prefecture.

While paying the small admission fee at the garden entrance, you can also purchase a ticket for your choice of tea service in the ryureiseki teahouse. At the time of my visit, the tea options were matcha and two varieties of sencha.  Once inside the garden, a brief scenic walk will bring you to the teahouse.

After presenting your ticket at the teahouse entrance you can choose your seat. All seats provide a splendid view of the garden. 

After being seated, you'll receive a complimentary cup of hojicha followed by your tea set. 

For this visit, I chose the Honyama matcha set with wagashi.  The tea bowl and sweet reflected the autumn season even though the trees and plants outside were still holding onto their summer green.

This particular matcha is the result of historical research and cultivation that began in 1986 to reproduce the matcha that was believed to be favored by Tokugawa Ieyasu after he retired to Sumpu Castle.  For this reason, Honyama matcha is generally only served at tea ceremonies and events relating to the Tokugawa clan.  You can learn more about Honyama matcha by following this link.  

All teas offered by the teahouse are also available for purchase. The hojicha was so delicious that I had to bring a bag home.

The beautiful Momijiyama Garden is a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city and I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Address: 

〒420-0855, 静岡県静岡市葵区駿府公園1-1
1 Sunpujōkōen, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka-ken 420-0855

Hours:
9:00am to 4:30pm
Closed Mondays and December 29th through January 3rd

Yanagi Chaya

During a recent visit to Asakusa in Tokyo, I took a break for tea and dessert at Yanagi Chaya (やなぎ茶屋).  The tea room is located on Shin-Nakamise shopping street near Asakusa Chuo-dori, a brief walk from Sensoji Temple and the famous Nakamise-dori shopping street.  I was in the area for a morning appointment and arrived just minutes before opening with a very brief wait to enter.

The tea room is spacious for the location with a modern interior and seating on the main floor with additional seating a half-floor down.  Orders are placed at the counter near the entrance. Find a table and your order number will be called to pick up at the counter.

Yanagi Chaya sources their tea from Morihan (森半) a tea company in Uji that has been around since 1836.  The menu includes matcha and hojicha tiramisu, matcha shiratama, matcha soft serve and floats, seasonal parfaits and, of course, a variety of matcha and hojicha beverages.

For this visit, I ordered the Uji Matcha Tiramisu with a hot cup of Hojicha.  

While there are now many places offering their own take on matcha tiramisu served in a wooden box, Yanagi Chaya's was the first I heard about through social media and it did not disappoint.  In fact, it was delicious!

Yanagi Chaya's sister shop is Maccha House located in Kyoto's Kawaramachi District.

Address:
〒111-0032 東京都台東区浅草1-30-6 橋本ビル1F
〒111-0032 Tokyo, Taito City, Asakusa, 1 Chome−30−6 橋本ビル 1F

Hours:
Monday-Friday 11:00am-5:00pm

Saturday-Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm

Product Review: Kawaii Zipper Bag (Yoshimura Package Partners)

Kawaii Zipper Bags are produced by Yoshimura Package Partners in an effort to promote Japanese tea through fun and beautiful packaging.  The zipper bags come in a delightful variety of colors and designs ranging from traditional patterns to seasonal scenes.

I was fortunate to receive a few samples of Kawaii Zipper Bags and used them to store and display tea for a Rare Japanese Teas tasting event that I presented.  The bags look attractive, stand up easily, and the aluminum interior and sturdy zipper seal help to keep the contents fresh and safe from moisture.

These bags are washable and reusable.  Due to their shiny or textured surfaces, they don't hold adhesive labels, so any identifying labels or greetings for gift giving should be tied on, attached with a clip, or written with permanent marker.

Wholesale orders for Kawaii Zipper Bags can be placed through Super Delivery International.

Wholesale custom designs and heat-sealable options can be order through MYPAKE.

This product was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Magnolia Tea Room

Magnolia Tea Room closed for business in July 2020.

Magnolia Tea Room first opened its doors in scenic downtown Silverton in November 2018.  The tea room is located on Water Street in the historic Julius Alm Building (1908), a short walk from the Farmer's Market and just one mile from the famous Oregon Garden.

The decor is modern chic, well lit and spacious with plentiful seating and no sense of crowding.  French cafe music plays in the background, adding to the ambiance.

It's worth noting that there is no dress code for taking tea at Magnolia Tea Room.  I had a very nice conversation with the owner and she confirmed that casual dress is welcome, even if you're coming in fresh from a hike around nearby Silver Falls.  The ambiance is intended to create a positive space for the customer to feel welcome.

Magnolia Tea Room offers a nice variety of tea sets for all appetites ranging from a simple pot of tea to their multi-course Magnolia Afternoon Tea.  Everything on the menu is made from scratch.

For this visit, I enjoyed the Afternoon Tea which began with a serving of mango sorbet, followed by a bowl of broccoli lemon soup, and finished with the customary tiered stand of savories and sweets.  My tea selection was Russian Imperial.

My teacup and saucer matched the tea room's light fixtures and chairbacks which was a nice touch.

Reservations are highly recommended and required for parties of 5 or more.

At the time of this review, the tea room is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and will re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.  Follow Magnolia Tea Room on Facebook for updates and more!

Address:
115 N Water St, Silverton, OR 97381

Hours:
11:00 am-4:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday
Closed Sunday and Monday