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

Upcoming Event: Cascadia Tea Festival 2025

If you're a tea lover in the PNW, mark your calendar for Cascadia Tea Festival on April 12th! There will be tea tastings, vendors, and arts and crafts!

When: 

Saturday, April 12, 2025

11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Where:

Floral Hall and Lions Hall at Forest Park  
802 E. Mukilteo Blvd, Everett, WA 98203

Ticket Price: 

Free - Donations are encouraged to offset the cost of running a great event like this.

Official Website: 

https://www.cascadiatea.org/2025-tea-festival

I recommend purchasing your tickets before the event, though they are accommodating a limited number of walk-ins.

Bring your own tasting cup if you have one. They will provide paper cups, but the tea tastes much better in a tasting cup.

Tea Review: Tsuyuhikari Gyokuro (Charaku)

Tsuyuhikari Organic Gyokuro
Charaku
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture, Satsuma
Product Description:

This Naturally Grown Gyokuro from Satsuma, in mountainous central Kagoshima Prefecture, infuses to a golden-green hue, with a slight marine air fragrance despite the mountain growing region. It has medium body and the complexity of a good balance of amami (sweetness) and shibumi (astringency), but with a slightly peppery astringent finish.

Temperature: 140° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of fresh ground nuts with light notes of dark green vegetables.

The liquor is light yellow-green liquor with sharp green and savory nutty notes that remind me of macadamia nuts.  The taste is rich, nutty, and savory with umami, a hint of astringency, and light notes of green grass.

For the purpose of this review I followed the suggested brewing directions, steeping for 2 minutes, then 1.5 minutes, and then 45 seconds.  The results throughout three infusions were deliciously umami-filled with refreshing green notes.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much longer the green finish was on the third infusion.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Sunset in Seattle (Everything Tea)

Sunset in Seattle

Everything Tea

Type: Flavored Herbal
Origin: Not provided.
Product Description: 

Getting sleepy in Seattle! Rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-5 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, valerian, sassafras, spearmint, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, lemon grass, hyssop, wintergreen passion flowers, lemon peel, white cherry, and herbs.

The golden infusion has a sweet aroma with notes of mint, lemongrass, and spearmint at the forefront.  The taste is smooth and sweet with notes of cooling mint, lemongrass and a hint of rosehip tartness near the finish.

This tisane is lovely and light with a refreshing taste and aroma.  While the flavor mellows after the initial infusion, increasing the steeping time after each infusion resulted in three pleasant cups of tea. 

This tea was purchased by me.

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

Tea Review: Golden Yunnan (Everything Tea)

Golden Yunnan

Everything Tea

Type: Black

Origin: China, Yunnan Province

Product Description:

A dark almost somber black tea from the Yunnan Province of China. It produces a reddish hued liquor that definitely makes one think of smoke, but not in an over-bearing manner. A full bodied tea with just a note of tanginess that is simply exquisite.

Temperature: 208° F

Amount: 3 grams

Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of oats, berries, aged wood, and nutshells.

The dark copper red infusion has an aroma of warm berries and green vine.  The liquor has a dry mouthfeel with just a hint of astringency and notes of berries, dark bread, and a honey-like finish.

While the fullest flavor was in the first infusion, this tea was delicious throughout three infusions. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Dark Heaven (Mad Hat Tea Company)

Dark Heaven

Mad Hat Tea Company
Type: Flavored Black Tea, Flavored Puerh
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

One of our most ordered Puerh blends. The closest thing to coffee in the shop!

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes puerh, roasted mate, chocolate, and black tea.

The liquor is reddish brown with a rich aroma of chocolate, smoke, earth, and fruit.  The taste is dark, rich, and earthy with light chocolate notes and a long, dark, roasty finish.

This does bear similarities to coffee, especially in the finish.  While I was happy with the results from a 3 minute infusion which had no notable astringency, this blend can easily be steeped longer with more leaf for darker and more bold results.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: III For the Crown (Friday Afternoon Tea)

III. For the Crown

Friday Afternoon Tea
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: Not Provided
Product Description: 

This blend is inspired by the Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir.

Oh, you wicked shining thing. That tongue has a bright spice to it, but who can resist your gleam? Golden velvet tips on the finest high-mountain Nepali black tea. Floral notes pulled forth and highlighted by citric raspberry and smoothed by vanilla. Honey in the throat and silk on the lips, all belying a burning deadly chili heat. Don't forget to dress in your finest jewels for a sparkly impression!

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes black tea, honey granules, raspberry, red chili flake, corn silk, natural vanilla flavoring, and gold lustre dust.

The liquor is reddish-orange with a lustrous shine.  The aroma is sweet with notes of berry syrup, baked fruit, vanilla and honey.  The taste kicks off with spicy chili in the front followed immediately by raspberries and vanilla.

I loved the spicy kick which was exactly what I was looking for when I purchased this tea.  The raspberries alongside the vanilla and honey reminded me of a delicious bakewell tart.

This tea is available September 1st through December 3rd as part of the Fall fandom line.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: The Magician (Wild Coast Brew)

The Magician
Wild Coast Brew
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: China
Product Description:

A Twist on Earl Grey

We reimagined the classically citrus-scented black tea using a lovely blend of citrusy ZunYi Black tea and roasty Keemun Black tea with added herbs like hops, linden, orange peel, and lemon verbena for more complex flavors and medicinal support. A blend to spark your belief in super-natural possibilities, to help you make leaps into the expansive unknown. 

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes ZunYi Black tea, Keemun black tea, lemon verbena, orange peel, linden flower and leaf, hops, and bergamot oil.

The copper red infusion has a heady citrus aroma with bergamot near the front.  The taste is surprisingly smooth and citrusy with no notable astringency and a long refreshing finish.

This citrus-filled tea blend was refreshing and bright and I would even call it cheerful.  The results were wonderful with a 2-minute steeping with the fullest flavor in the first infusion. A longer steeping time will also produce nice, if bolder, results.

This tea was purchased by me.