Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

While Tokyo’s high fashion and design scene are highly respected and well-known worldwide, Japanese tea culture also remains significant in today’s urban lifestyle. Aoyama and Omotesando areas are where Japan’s unique mixture of modern and classic culture are, since between fashionable boutiques and chic restaurants, green tea cafés are as chic with their high fashion and sleek design.

Because of various health benefits, green tea has been essential in Japanese life for centuries, but also because of its aroma, taste and style, green tea is gaining more attention.  As Tokyo’s trendiest districts of Aoyama and Omotesando are where urban chic style follower flock, green tea is one of the not-to-miss items in Tokyo’s chic shopping experience.

Meet the Japanese Tea Chef
Available in so many varieties and multiple regional origins, tea is as complex as wine.  A cup of tea can be as superior as a work of art.  A small café on a very quiet back street of Omotesando serves superior quality Japanese tea, prepared by a sommelier specialized in Japanese tea making.  Mr. Yoshi Watada, who received the official tea sommelier certificate in 2005, opened Chacha no Ma on a quiet block of fashionable Omotesando neighborhood.  He makes each cup of tea, with every step, for the best quality.  When served in a cup, the natural aroma and flavor dazzle you with the first sip.  The café is also very careful when choosing food to serve with tea:  The chef, Mr. Takeshi Kishida, strictly selects organic ingredients for seasonal menus.  While strolling in Omotesando, Chacha no Ma is the fashionable yet very authentic green tea experience. (5-13-14 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

Pure-Bred Green Tea Café
Hayashi-ya started its exclusive green tea business in the highly culture and art oriented city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, in the mid 18th century.  After establishing a high level of green tea professionalism, they moved to Uji, one of the top green tea manufacturing regions in the country just outside of Kyoto.  After enhancing techniques, quality, ambience and reputation in the two significant places for Japanese tea culture, Hayashi-ya offers the same quality of tea and cultural satisfaction to the nation’s largest and most culture-sensitive Aoyama area today.  Even if they seem to be a small chain store with multiple locations, their tea is what they started with in the good old days in Japan when people had high interest and appreciation in art and culture with acute perspective and sensitivity.  Maintaining the traditional flavor of green tea, Hayashi-ya also serves fabulous green tea flavored dessert, too, that makes tea time even more classic.
(5-52-2 Jingu-mae, Oval Building B1F, Shibuya-ku)

Green Tea’s Best Friend
In a prime location in Omotesando’s luxurious commercial complex, Toraya, Japan’s historic confectionary café, fulfills your appetite with authentic Japanese flavor and season-oriented delicacies.  Since the late 16th century, when they became the imperial family’s designated sweet maker, Toraya has been reputed as the top red-bean curd confectionary, called yokan.  In the 21st century, Toraya started a modern collection of sweets at Toraya Café, serving western style desserts with their classic superior red bean ingredients.  As yokan, the traditional Japanese red bean confectionary, is a top dessert that accompanies high quality green tea, Toraya Café produces a new style yet with yet classic flavor for today’s tea break, satisfying green tea time in the fashionable Omotesando.
http://www.toraya-group.co.jp/cafe/index_f_en.html
(Omotesando Hills Main Building B1F, 4-12-10 Jungu-mae, Shibuya-ku)

Green Tea Festival
Green tea has been taken seriously in Japan for  centuries, and still fits into today’s lifestyle, both for stylish and healthy effects.  The whole world is appreciating the fabulous green tea, and its home in Japan shows much more about green tea with  the world.  With the motto that tea is a universal language, Shizuoka Prefecture hosts the World O-CHA (tea) Festival 2010 from October 28 through 31.  The event started in 2001 for global tea industry people, but now it is much more open to those who are interested in world tea culture.  Particularly because of the location in Japan’s largest green tea manufacturing region, this event focuses on the strong relationship and historic and social connection between tea and Japanese culture.  Green tea products have also come a long way to be part of modern lifestyle not only in Japan but all over the world, and the event proves the health benefits and cultural essence of tea drinking customs.  Through superior green tea labels and tea drinking culture, the history of Japanese lifestyle should be visible to visitors.
http://www.o-cha2010.jp/english/index.html

——- Nori Akashi : Public Relations Manager at the New York Office of JNTO

Japan National Tourism Organization
New York Office
11 W. 42nd St., 19th Fl., New York, NY 10036
TEL: 212-757-5640
www.japantravelinfo.com