used to go to this tea house quite often when i was still a first year student, but i dont visit it as much anymore because it can get extremely busy and loud there. and sometimes its.. just too much. and so i started sort of avoiding the place.
though, i enjoyed my time there yesterday. i went there with my girlfriend after a little zoo trip. we were hungry and thirsty and they only offer meals like couscous, baba ghanoush and mandu (dumplings), but thankfully we were not that hungry.
after irish cream and cold rooibos with pineapple, we decided on ordering tsou alishan dark age from 2015. the alishan tea is well known and it has to be one of my favorite oolongs (yet nothing beats a good shui xian!!). we received the tea in the tiniest gaiwan ive ever seen irl. i was worried it will be too small for my hand, but thankfully i quickly figured out how to pour the tea and actually found the vessel really comfortable.
A wonderful afternoon tea shop that everyone in town admires. They prepare sweets and table settings to match the mood of the day. No matter when you visit, you’ll feel royal! ✨☕️
After the war, Levi didn’t really have a clear plan on what he wanted to do. To him, the mere idea of not having to be on guard 24/7 was absurd. It’s safe to say it took him quite some time to get used to his new life, a life of peace. Around a year and a half after the war, Levi decided to pursue one of his life long dreams. Opening a tea shop. Levi is a picky man so finding a property he liked proved to be a challenge. He would spend hours viewing potential properties but he didn’t like the majority of them, mainly due to the locations.
Eventually, he struck gold and found a gorgeous little property with a medium size front deck that overlooks the picturesque harbour. There were two large willow trees on either side of the deck, the leaves swaying along with the gentle sea breeze. The moment Levi laid eyes on the property, he couldn’t help the small smile that graced his angelic face. Sure, there was quite a bit of work to be done before the teashop was up and running but Levi was more than eager to get the renovations underway. His dream was finally coming true.
9 months later
“Hello, what could I get you?” Levi stated calmly whilst looking at the tall black haired man who stood at the counter.
“Hm, I’m not too sure…what’s better, Assam or Darjeeling?” The man asked inquisitively whilst eyeing the large display of tea leaves.
“In my opinion, I’d say Assam. It has an extremely pleasant malty taste. Darjeeling on the other hand, has a more fruity taste” Levi answers confidently.
“Ok! It’s settled then, could I please get a pot of Assam tea with two butter croissants?” The man states exuberantly.
“Of course, please take a seat inside or outside and I’ll bring your order to you when it’s ready” Levi says smoothly whilst tapping the mans order through the till.
Since Levi first opened the doors to his shop 5 months ago (Kuchel’s teashop, a name everyone in town was familiar with), business was booming to say the least. The day he first opened the shop, there were queues of people waiting to sample the infamous Captain’s wide selection of teas and pastries. Levi was overwhelmed, in a good way of course. The amount of support he had received from the local people moved him, more than he’d like to admit.
During the first week, Kuchel’s teashop had received a hugely positive influx of reviews. Everyone loved Levi’s tea and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of his teashop. But most importantly, people loved Levi. They loved how passionate he was about tea and they loved how knowledgeable he was about the numerous different types of tea he offered.
Levi was getting ready to close the teashop for the night, he had finished cleaning the tables and counters and was now restocking the large display of tea leaves as low classical music played throughout the shop.
Once he has finished the closing tasks, he walked to the storage room and grabbed his belongings, throwing on his black trench coat and hanging up his beige apron on the peg behind the door. He turned all the lights off and walked outside to lock the front doors. As he walked down the deck stairs he stopped on the middle step and looked back at his shop, a huge sense of achievement and joy filled him.
Levi smiled to himself as he looked at the wooden sign that hung above the door. The words ‘Kuchel’s teashop’ laid on the wooden sign in bold black writing. He reflected for a moment, he knew his mum would be so proud of him. That thought brought him happiness. He was finally where he wanted to be.
Surviving War and Time: The Enduring Legacy of Hamaya from Groceries to Green Tea
Location: Gumyoji, Minami Ward, Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 18:03・2024/04/09
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 120 sec. at ƒ/11
Classic Negative film simulation
Established in 1928 as a small family-run grocery shop, Hamaya has endured for nearly a century, including surviving the hardships of World War II. After the war, in 1945, it transitioned to specializing in green tea and roasted coffee beans.
Most of their Japanese green tea varieties are sourced from Shizuoka Prefecture, the heart of Japanese tea cultivation, offering over 50 varieties to choose from. A closer look at my photo reveals other products, including health-conscious teas, seaweed, teapots, tea utensils, and gift-packaged teas.
In only a few more years, this shop will be celebrating its centennial anniversary. I hope to return to Hamaya and chat with the owners to discuss their plans for the next 100 years!
Feel free to check out the original write-up (a concise 1-minute read), which includes a reference to sources for further reading (https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20240409-tea).
