Whether alone or with friends, whenever I find myself craving a relaxing cup of tea in Shibuya, I almost always head here. Located at the top of Dogenzaka, Huai Tea House, a specialty store for Chinese and Taiwanese tea and tea utensils, offers a charming, relaxed atmosphere that makes you forget the passage of time, even though it's located in the heart of Shibuya, like traveling to a foreign country.

Founded in Taipei, China in 1842, Huai Tea House boasts over 170 years of history. Owner Lin Sheng-tai, the fifth-generation owner of the Taiwanese tea wholesaler Lin Huai Tea Company and the third-generation descendant of a prestigious family whose grandfather was recognized as a "Living National Treasure of Tea" in Taiwan, has been running his own Japanese store in Tokyo for about 20 years. The four-story store features a tea shop on the first floor, selling approximately 200 varieties of high-quality tea leaves, tea utensils, and tea utensils. The second and third floors feature a teahouse where you can enjoy desserts and dim sum with over 150 varieties of tea. The fourth floor features private dining rooms.





The custom of drinking tea in China is said to have begun around 5,000 years ago with the consumption of fresh tea leaves for medicinal purposes. Because of their medicinal value, high-quality tea leaves, individually hand-picked, can even be eaten directly. In fact, even when steeped in hot water, only about 50% of the tea leaves are water-soluble. For this reason, there's a Chinese culture of adding tea leaves to porridge, stews, sweets, and even deep-frying them. At Huatai Tea House, chopped tea leaves are used to flavor cakes and cookies, and healthy porridge is also stewed in tea.



The "scent-listening cup," a long, cylindrical tea utensil unique to Taiwan that is used in pairs with a small drinking cup similar to a sake cup, is a tea utensil that allows you to enjoy not only the taste of tea but also the changing aroma. It is particularly essential for Taiwanese oolong tea, which has a rich and varied aroma. You can enjoy the tea's aroma, which changes depending on the temperature, once before drinking, again after drinking, and in between. Another feature of Taiwanese tea is that you can enjoy multiple cups of tea using the same brewed tea leaves.



■ Compare and taste four types of green tea, a type of oolong tea, from the many varieties of tea leaves available

There are many ways to choose tea, such as trying different types to find one that suits your palate, or choosing based on the weather, temperature, or your physical condition that day. This time, we were introduced to four types of tea classified as green tea (semi-fermented tea), a type of oolong tea that exhibits a wide variety of flavors and aromas depending on the degree of fermentation.



First, Qingcha, with a low fermentation rate of 15%, is said to be the closest to green tea and is characterized by a sweet, orchid-like aroma. Due to its delicate flavor, it is also known as "tea for tea connoisseurs." The tea leaves are bluish in color, and when brewed, they turn a yellow-green, resembling green tea. Next, we have Dongding Oolong Tea, the most popular tea in Taiwan. Its refreshing floral aroma and mellow flavor are said to reduce swelling. Tieguanyin Tea, characterized by its floral and fruity aroma, is known for its fat-breaking properties and hangover-preventing properties. Oriental Beauty Tea, highly fermented at 50-70%, boasts a sweet, fruity aroma similar to honey. Its tea leaves are the deepest in color, achieving a beautiful apricot hue when brewed. In Europe, it's known as "Oriental Beauty." ■ Brewing delicious tea is easy. A lesson with Dongding Oolong Tea

"It's not difficult to brew delicious tea," says Lin. "As the saying goes, 'everyday life', eating and drinking tea are one and the same in China. Enjoy it casually as part of your daily life." This time, we asked him to teach us how to brew Dongding Oolong Tea.


1. Pour boiling water into the teapot to warm it.
2. Add enough tea leaves to cover the bottom of the warmed teapot, then pour in boiling water (over 90 degrees) (150cc of boiling water for 3-7g of tea leaves).
3. Pour boiling water over the teapot and let it steep so that the tea leaves open up easily.
4. The first brew should be 30 seconds to 1 minute, and the second brew should be 1 minute 30 seconds. You can drink it about 5 to 6 times until the curled tea leaves open up into single leaves.


5. Pour the extracted tea into the teapot.
6, 7. Then pour into a long, narrow aroma cup that has been warmed.
8. Then, transfer the tea to a drinking cup and enjoy the lingering aroma from the aroma cup.



"Drinking tea with someone is a form of communication, sharing time. I believe this culture, which has been passed down since ancient times, is very important within Asia. I hope that it will not be forgotten and will be passed down from the present to the future," says Hayashi. The profound history and culture that can be learned through tea, and the charm of Kata Tea House make it a place you'll want to visit again and again.