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Tokyo Guide : Hatoya Asakusa
Hatoya is a Japanese tea stand where you can enjoy carefully selected Japanese teas, lattes, and sweets made from only the finest teas in Kyoto.
The owner, Nobuhiro Maruyama, originally came from the coffee industry and worked as a barista for 10 years. After encountering a cup of Gyokuro tea, he became fascinated by the world of Japanese tea. He then trained at a Japanese tea company before opening the first Hatoya location, Hatoya Ryouyousha, in Arashiyama, Kyoto, in 2019.
In addition to the Kyoto location, Hatoya has stores in Tokyo and Kamakura. My family and I recently visited Hatoya Asakusa, located behind Sumida Park in Tokyo.
The signature item, the Matcha Latte, is topped with homemade matcha ice cream made with an Italian gelato machine. The vibrant green color and the exquisite flavor of the high-quality matcha were truly captivating.
They also offer a variety of matcha-based baked goods and unique sweets like Half-Baked Matcha and Fresh Matcha Terrine. Whether you’re a matcha lover or looking for a unique souvenir, I highly recommend stopping by when you visit Asakusa!
Related video :
Tokyo Guide : Vegan Ramen Shop T’s Tantan
The world of ramen is becoming more diverse. While traditional ramen often uses a lot of animal-based ingredients, high-quality vegan and vegetarian ramen options are definitely on the rise.
Vegan ramen often relies on dashi made from kombu (kelp seaweed) and shiitake mushrooms, along with various vegetables to create a deep umami flavor. For example, a broth based on kombu and shiitake mushrooms offers a rich taste without using animal products. Plant-based seasonings and spices are also used to achieve a well-rounded flavor.
Moreover, there are creative uses of ingredients like soy milk or nuts to make creamy broths, and toppings like tempeh or tofu to provide protein. These innovations result in ramen that is visually appealing and flavorful, without losing to traditional options in taste.
The growing popularity of vegan and vegetarian ramen means that there are more diverse choices available, which is a wonderful development for ramen enthusiasts. In this article, I would like to introduce one of the popular vegan ramen shop in Tokyo.
T’s Tantan (T’s たんたん) is a popular vegan ramen restaurant originating from Japan, known for offering Japanese-style tantanmen(坦々麺) based on Sichuan cuisine’s dandan noodles, all made from plant-based ingredients.
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Ramune (ラムネ)
Ramune(ラムネ) is a popular Japanese carbonated soft drink known for its unique bottle design, particularly the Codd-neck bottle sealed with a marble.
The word “ramune” is derived from the English word “lemonade,” reflecting its original citrus flavor, although today it comes in many varieties like strawberry, melon, and lychee.
The bottle’s defining feature is a glass marble that acts as the seal. To open the bottle, you push the marble into a chamber below the bottle’s neck. The marble is then trapped there and creates the iconic “clinking” sound when drinking.
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Hello from Tokyo (August 204)
It’s hot and humid from morning here in Tokyo. I’m staying hydrated, keeping up my iron levels, and getting good sleep!
Everyone, be careful not to get summer fatigue! Have a wonderful August!!! YUCa
Tokyo Guide : HIYAKASHI IPPODO TEA
IPPODO TEA, a long-established Kyoto tea house, is hosting a limited-time café called “Hiyakashii IPPODO TEA” in Omotesando, running until September 30th.
At the entrance, there’s a noren (traditional Japanese curtain) with a green ghost-like character on it. Instead of being scary, it has a kind of amusing and intriguing vibe.
As you part the noren and step inside, you’re greeted by a space inspired by Kyoto’s bamboo paths. It feels like you might encounter a ghost!
The café also offers an English menu, so international visitors can enjoy it too.
We ordered the following:
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Yokan (羊羹)
Yokan (羊羹) is a traditional Japanese confection made from azuki red bean paste, agar (a plant-based gelatin), and sugar.
It has a smooth, firm, jelly-like texture and is typically enjoyed as a sweet treat with tea. Yokan is often shaped into rectangular blocks and comes in two main varieties: neri yokan(練り羊羹), which is firm, and mizu yokan(水羊羹), which has a softer, more delicate texture due to higher water content, making it a popular choice in the summer.
There are also variations that include ingredients like chestnuts, sweet potato, or green tea flavoring. Yokan has a rich, mildly sweet taste, and its simple ingredients have made it a beloved dessert in Japanese culture for centuries. It is also appreciated for its long shelf life, which makes it a popular gift or travel souvenir.
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15 Places to go in Tokyo
YUCa’s Japanese Cooking has been selected as one of the 15 places to go in Tokyo in the Toei Transportation Guide issued by Toei Transportation!
Toei Transportation is managed by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Toei Transportation provides Toei Subway (4 lines) , Toei Bus (127 routes), Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line), and Nippori-Toneri Liner services, which form an extensive network that ensures convenient mobility throughout Tokyo.
Below are the details of the 15 places to visit in Tokyo!
1. Wear a kimono @waraku_asakusa
2. Ninja experience @ninjatrickhouse
3. Enjoy Japanese tea @happoen
4. Make an Edo Kiriko glass @sokichi_asakusa
5. Make Japanese dishes @yucasjapanesecooking 🙇♀️
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Sakura Cherry Blossoms in Kochi
I recently visited Kochi Prefecture with my family. It was just in time for cherry blossom viewing, and we were able to see a 500-year-old cherry tree, which was a great memory. I have taken other photos, so please take a look.
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YUCa’s Tea (Leaf ver.)
We are very happy that YUCa’s Tea, newly launched this year, has been well received by participants of the cooking class and other green tea lovers in Japan and abroad.
Chiran-cha, which is characterized by its deep roasted flavor, is a tea that I drink regularly, and I am very happy to be able to introduce it to everyone in the form of a commercial product.
The first product was a tea bag type so that people can enjoy green tea easily.
Now, we have decided to commercialize the leaf type as our second product.
The tea comes in generous quantities, so if you have a teapot, we hope you will enjoy drinking this type of tea!
The characteristics of the tea leaves and the recommended way to drink them are explained in the attached leaflet.
For more information about the YUCa’s Tea, please click here!
https://yjc.tokyo/yucastea
If you are interested in purchasing this product, please reply to this newsletter or contact us from here!
https://yjc.tokyo/contact-us/
All about Mochi
Mochi (もち、餅) is a polite term for mochi, a food made from glutinous rice. Usually, it is made by steaming glutinous rice and pounding it with a pestle, but it is also widely called mochi when made from grains, rice flour, kuzu flour, and other ingredients. It is a round or flattened food.
Mochi in foreign countries seems to be widely recognized as a sweet with ice cream.
Mochi are rich in carbohydrates (carbohydrates), which are the main source of energy during exercise; they contain more carbohydrates in 100g than rice.
Many people can eat two or three rice cakes even if they cannot eat a bowl of rice or a bowl of rice. Another excellent point of mochi is that it can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as in soups, wrapped in nori (seaweed), or with daikon radish or natto (fermented soybeans) to take in other nutrients at the same time.
It is believed that the rice cake culture was introduced along with the rice culture. In Japan, in particular, people had a particular preference for the stickiness of mochi, which is said to have led to the creation of a unique mochi culture. It is mentioned in documents from the Nara period (710-794), and at that time it was used as a confectionery for the nobility.
By the Heian period (794-1185), event foods were established and Kagamimochi (mirror-shaped mochi) in January, Hishimochi (rhombus-shaped mochi) in March, and Kashiwa Mochi (mochi wrapped with oak leaf) in May were introduced. Botamochi (adzuki bean mochi) and grilled mochi and mochi sweets became common during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), and became increasingly popular during the Edo period (1603-1868), when mochi sweets were used for annual events.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, a family in Japan eats about 43 commercially made mochi (about 54 g each) per year.
Relater recipe :
! Caution !
The lower the temperature of mochi, the harder and stickier it becomes. Therefore, cut them into small, easy-to-eat pieces and drink tea or soup to moisten your throat before eating. Also, do not eat too much at once, but chew it well before swallowing.
