Beneath the calm streets of Daikanyama, hidden inside Hillside Terrace, there is a small tea bar where time seems to slow down.
Tea Bar Chokeikyo (聴景居) is not a typical café.
It feels somewhere between a tea room, an apothecary, and a quiet cocktail bar — a place where Japanese tea is reimagined through Asian aromas, spices, and modern craftsmanship.
Tokyo summers are humid and exhausting. When temperatures rise, many Japanese families naturally start choosing meals that are:
Instead of heavy restaurant-style meals, home cooking becomes simpler and more seasonal.
Popular summer dishes in Japanese homes include:
Meals are often served in small portions with several side dishes rather than one large plate.
This style helps people eat comfortably even during extreme heat.
Many tourists come to Japan dreaming about sushi, ramen, or wagyu.
But everyday Japanese family meals are often much more simple.
The beauty of Japanese home cooking is:
This is the side of Japan many travelers never get to experience in restaurants.
That is why cooking classes have become one of the most meaningful cultural experiences for visitors to Tokyo.
Cutting boards are something we use every day in the kitchen.
With just a small change, they can become much more convenient and hygienic.
Among them, self-standing cutting boards are especially practical.
After washing, you can simply stand them upright to dry, allowing water to drain easily and helping them dry more quickly.
They are especially useful during humid seasons or in kitchens with limited space.
In Japan, we have entered April, when cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
April is a season when a new school term begins and many people start new jobs, marking the start of a new chapter in life. In our family as well, my daughter has started elementary school, and a new chapter has begun for us.
My husband and I recently attended her entrance ceremony. I was deeply moved to see her wearing a backpack that was slightly bigger than her back.
She has already made some friends, and I’m relieved to hear that she is enjoying her days happily.
By the way, are you curious about what Japanese elementary school students receive from their schools?
Wishing you all a wonderful new month ahead!
Lots of love from Tokyo,
YUCa
At the event, Kakyo used YUCa’s Tea hojicha powder for pastry-making to create hojicha canelés, financiers, muffins, and other baked sweets.
I also had a taste, and they were incredible—crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside! As you eat them, you can enjoy the rich aroma of hojicha, and I truly felt they might be the most delicious canelés in Tokyo (or even in all of Japan!). I would love to have them again.
On the day, my husband and son, wearing original YUCa’s Tea sweatshirts, also helped at the shop, whisking matcha and serving food and drinks to our guests.
My son seemed to really enjoy the experience, and it became a great opportunity for him to gain some real-world work experience.
Would you like to try the aromatic Hojicha from YUCa’s Tea?
We offer both tea bags and loose leaf tea. Please order from the link below!
Out of the blue, I have some exciting news—I’m creating a book filled with all of my favorite things, tentatively titled “The YUCa Book”!
Time has passed since I published my first book, YUCa’s Japanese Cooking ~First cookbook by YUCa~, in 2019, and I’ve begun to turn my thoughts toward my next one.
The book will be a special combination of a recipe collection—something many of you have requested—and a guide to my favorite hidden spots in Tokyo that I highly recommend visiting.
I’m working to create content that you can enjoy before your trip, during your stay, and even after you return home, as a way to relive your memories.
Right now, I’m meeting with an editor once a week as we shape this project together.
If there’s any content you’re curious about or recipes you’d love to see included, please feel free to reply to this email and let me know.
I would be so happy to create a book that includes your ideas as well! ❤️📖
A Rolling Knife Sharpener is a simple and user-friendly tool designed to sharpen kitchen knives by rolling a cylindrical sharpening device along the blade.
It typically consists of two main parts: a rolling drum coated with abrasive materials such as diamond or ceramic, and a magnetic angle guide that holds the knife at a fixed angle. To use it, you place the knife against the guide and roll the sharpener back and forth. This motion allows the blade to be sharpened evenly without needing advanced skills.
Unlike traditional whetstones, which require practice to maintain the correct angle, a Rolling Knife Sharpener ensures consistent results with minimal effort. It is especially popular among beginners and home cooks because it is quick, safe, and easy to use.
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KAGUWA is a specialty tea shop dedicated to wakoucha, or Japanese black tea.
Unlike the black tea many people are familiar with, wakoucha is made from Japanese tea leaves and offers a much softer, rounder flavor. It has very little bitterness, and instead carries a gentle natural sweetness along with a delicate, almost floral aroma.
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