Kikusuian

Address: Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, Taihaku-ku, Yagyuu 2-chome 6-3.
Tel: 022-242-0224
Open Time: 10:00-20:00
(last order 19:00)
Web site: http://http://www.ocha-igeta.co.jp

Kikusuian is a group restaurant offering tea and cakes. Most cakes are made of tea which makes the originality of the restaurant.
Kikusuian that was founded over 90 years ago, has a long history and has become a large group with more than 60 locations. The restaurant where I went to, was created 14 years ago, was the first established in Sendai and distinguished itself by offering tea flavored ice cream.
Kikusuian employees thought about what accompaniment would make the tea taste even better, and decided to propose ice cream.
Ms. Todo, an employee of Kikusuian, strongly advises foreigners who wish to understand Japanese culture to come to Kikusuian, because tea is a fundamental component of Japanese way of life. She also recommended us "kikufuku" which is the most popular cake from the restaurant.

Kukusuian is separated into two parts: The restaurant and the store.
The restaurant is a place where guests come to relax with family or friends. It may itself be divided into two parts: the modern restaurant and traditional tea rooms.
Customers are quite diverse, young people delight ice tea and cakes while the elderly prefer to enjoy tea.
As well as continually offering new menus, Kikusuian has season menus, offering warm cakes in winter and cool cakes in summer.
Overall, the sweet cakes balance the bitterness of green tea.
The store is a place where you can do some shopping or bring back souvenirs. Of course, the shop sells tea but not only. You can also buy cakes and tea utensils.
In the shop there are places where you can taste some cakes and tea for free. You can also see a room where is made a cake name the "Baumkuchen".


In conclusion, Kukusuian is the ideal place to drink tea because he has created the perfect synthesis between tradition and modernity.

01/12/2010　Antoine Lachaud