Asahiichi & KEBOZ guide you through a chic way to spend time in Kuramae.

The next stop, a drop Kuramae, is a tea shop open only during the second half of the month. Kuramae" is a tea shop that is open only during the second half of the month. The owner, Mr. Tanabe, travels around Japan during the first half of the month and selects tea leaves he encounters during his travels. You can enjoy a wide variety of teas from season to season, from different regions, in different colors, and with different flavors.

The system is a bit unique. Instead of paying for a single cup of tea, the fee is 1,500 yen for one hour of drinking. Four to five cups are offered at a time, and each cup is brewed with a story about the tea and its producer.

But what really caught my attention was Mr. Tanabe's appearance. He wears a New Era cap and has a bold tattoo. What did he originally do for a living?

I used to run a yakitori and beer stall in Shibuya. It ended soon after, but a customer from that time introduced me to work at a tea shop. My hometown is Iruma City in Saitama Prefecture, the main producer of Sayama tea. I was surrounded by tea fields, but I knew nothing about tea. But the more I learned about it, the more I was swamped, and before I knew it, it had become a part of my lifestyle.

The charm of this place is not limited to drinking comparisons. Although the shop is compact, the lineup includes a wide variety of tea leaves and tea utensils for sale. I like the attitude of the producers toward tea. When I meet the producers and talk to them, they seem very happy to talk to me. I can only enjoy the tea as much as I can, but that "fun" feeling is what fuels them to make good tea again. I want to pick up such passionate tea leaves and vessels at our shop.

Perhaps because he shares Mr. Tanabe's selection criteria, many of the plates used at Asahi Ichi were purchased here. One time, I bought all of them (laughs). (Laughs.) I also consult with him about the store, and he is always helpful to me.

The opposite is also true, and Mr. Tanabe is also thankful for the existence of "Asahiichi & KEBOZ. There are many popular cafes in Kuramae, and we often see people who come here for that reason. But since the duo opened their store, we have seen a different kind of person come to Kuramae. While women line up to visit the cafes, streetheads are walking the streets, which is very interesting and refreshing.