Japanese Tea Time @ Jugetsudo, Ginza, Tokyo

Don't you agree that sometimes, all you need is a good spot of tea? The English would definitely agree, and the Japanese would probably concur the same.

A great view of the rooftop gardens.

I have always enjoyed drinking green tea and enjoying food that has that green tea taste. But I have never been into a Japanese tea house before, probably because there is a lack where I am from. So Jugetsudo (寿月堂) seemed like a good idea.

Here is another angle of the establishment. A packed tea house indeed.

Located above the famous Kabukiza Theater (歌舞伎座) in the upper crust part of Ginza, Jugetsudo is a hidden enclave, located at the fifth floor of the theater plaza and is tucked away in a small rooftop garden. A hidden green oasis in the bustling city, it specialises in teas and confectioneries. 

The tea house has various tea wagashi sets on store, and if you are in a mood for tea, this is the place to be. The sweetness of the traditional confection counteracts with the bitterness (and sometimes tartness of the tea), giving it a great and refreshing contrast. If you would like to know more on what wagashi is, do click here, which will lead you on a previous post on traditional Japanese sweets.

My post-lunch fortification

I had the sencha set, which was a unique experience. Being the teabag sort of guy, the waitress was kind enough to explain to me the steps.:

1. Pour some hot water in to a bowl. Leave it to cool for 30 seconds.

2. After it cooled, pour the water into the sencha pot and leave it to brew for 1 minute.

3. After the one minute, pour the brewed tea into a drinking bowl. No cups here. 

Check how green the leaves are. 

It was abit complicated at the first time. But luckily there was an hourglass, or rather a minute glass, to help me gauge the timing. And that abit extra effort did make a difference. The tea was smooth and vibrant. It is not as "dense" like what you would normally have from teabag teas. It has a bitterness which was ironically fragrant. And the leaves that were in the pot were very intense, and had their flavour even after the fifth brew. I guess if you manipulate all the variables, like heat and timing, you would get better results, like here. 

The sencha was joy to have, especially during a rainy day. 

So dainty and delicate, even the fork used for it is special

A mini ampan was served along it. Glazed with sugar and probably gold leaf, it has a strong sweetness which balances the tea, and best eaten before drinking it. The ampan itself was well crafted. It was a dainty and delicate morsel, and the adzuki filling was very smooth and refined. Many levels higher that the usual you might get from you kopitiam by the corner. 

This is definitely a very refined way in enjoying tea and a good way to spend the weekend with friends or a special someone. The place is pretty upperclass, so the price tag of ¥1200 is somewhat expected. But if you have never tried proper green tea before, do give it a go. The address for the place is as follows:

Kabukiza tower 5F, 4-12-15, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

The sign at the front of the house.