Himeji city had been established as a castle town of Himeji Castle. HARIMA-YA tea stand has been established since 1948 in front of Himeji Castle.
The statue of matcha soft serve and the board describing soft serves of matcha and roasted tea are signs of the tea stand.
This tea shop sells various teas from all around Japan.
Fine teas from various tea estates all around Japan.
Especially, the shop mainly focuses on Shizuoka and Kagoshima prefectures.
When I visited, the staffs prepared cold-brewed tea using Kagoshima tea.
Cold-infusion of Kagoshima tea for customers and visitors in HARIMA-YA tea stand.
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Interestingly, this tea stand displays various teas with the sample of each loose leaf tea.
Shizuoka tea of deep-steamed Sencha produced in Kakegawa tea estate in Shizuoka pref.
Of course, we can open the lid and see the appearance of them and smell their aroma.
Kakegawa tea of deep-steamed Sencha.
The shop sells Kakegawa tea, deep-steamed green tea produced in Kakegawa tea estate in Shizuoka, as one of Shizuoka teas. The loose leaf releases mellow aroma!! It must be delicious!
As one of Kagoshima tea, the tea shop sells single cultivar green tea of “Yutakamidori”.
Kagoshima tea of ‘Yutakamidori’ cultivar in HARIMA-YA tea stand.
Yutakamidori cultivar contains higher content of epigallocatechin (EGC), which accelerate the activity of macrophage-like cells[354].
Roasted green tea named as “Kaori Hoji” expresses mellow and toasty aroma!!
“Kaori Hoji”, roasted green tea having higher content of mellow and toasty aroma, in HARIMA-YA tea stand.
I’d like to drink ice-tea of this “Kaori Hoji”. In my opinion, the best preparation is brewing it by boiling water at first, then pouring it to some pieces of ice. This method would provide abundant aroma with clean texture and fresh finish.
This tea store has launched “Hoji-cha” soft serve, which is the soft serve containing rich amount of roasted green tea powders.
Hoji-cha soft serve in front of HARIMA-YA tea stand with a background of Himeji Castle.
We can enjoy the “Hoji-cha” soft serve with a background of Himeji Castle!!
It is recommended to drop HARIMA-YA tea stand and enjoy teas and sweets, when you visit Himeji Castle.
< Shop information >
Address : 68, Honmachi, Himeji city, Hyogo Pref.
Access : About 10 minutes on foot from JR Himeji Station.
– The shop locates along with the main street to Himeji Castel from JR Himeji Station.
Business hours : 9:00 – 17:30
Official Web Page : http://harima-ya.jp/ (described in only Japanese)
< Reference >
[354] Monobe M. et al. (2012) : Effect of Cold Green Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Extract Derived from Different Cropping Periods or Cultivars on Phagocytic Activity of Macrophage-like Cells, Tea Research Journal, 114:29-36.