Sabo Issho - Great Japanese Teahouse Experience in Kanazawa

Sabo Issho

Initially, we are quite afraid we might not have time to try this teahouse experience as we only reach Kanazawa in the early afternoon, and still need to check in at the hotel first due to 2 checked size luggage with us.

Upon all is done and we managed to catch the bus to the Higashi Chaya around 3pm, and we went to the teahouse around 4pm after some minor exploring in the area.

4 different tea leaves Sabo Issho — **4 different tea leaves**
Sabo Issho

Japanese Tea Leaves Sabo Issho — **Japanese Tea Leaves**
Sabo Issho

After we get seated, the tea master (not sure what’s the correct term for it) prepare a fresh set of 4 different tea leaves, and once it’s in the right temperature she asked us to smell it and see which ones we like (and want to order).

Wagashi Sabo Issho — **Wagashi**
Sabo Issho

Biscuit and dried fruits Sabo Issho — **Biscuit and dried fruits**
Sabo Issho

Japanese Tea with Seasonal Sweets (¥1200)

Don’t ask me why, but I forgot to take photos of the actual tea itself. It came with a teacup + teapot set.

Of course, different tea leaves have different characteristics. I believe I chose the Kenjo Kaga Boucha, nice fragrant with bitterness and a bit of roasted taste.

Japanese sweets in the photos are worth for 2 sets, so it’s 2 dishes per set. I’m not sure whether it’s random or they have a certain Japanese sweets pairing for different tea leaves. My guessing is leaning towards the latter.

The seasonal Japanese sweets are quite sweet, so definitely the pairing with the bitterness of the tea do pair well.

Rating: 3.25/5

Brown sugar and cinnamon sticks Sabo Issho — **Brown sugar and cinnamon sticks**
Sabo Issho

Tea set with fresh milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks Sabo Issho — **Tea set with fresh milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks**
Sabo Issho

Ending with a tea set that comes with fresh milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks.

Was advised to just dip and swirl the cinnamon sticks a bit for the flavours, the usual for the other two (brown sugar and fresh milk), add (or not) to your tasting.

Minimalist flower vases setting in the backdrop Sabo Issho — **Minimalist flower vases setting in the backdrop**
Sabo Issho

Back area of the shop and stairway Sabo Issho — **Back area of the shop and stairway**
Sabo Issho

Ceramic plates Sabo Issho — **Ceramic plates**
Sabo Issho

Overall

Both the tea and seasonal Japanese sweets are good, but nothing mindblowing just to get this part out of the way.

Now let’s go to the main draw of this teahouse, bar none it is for the experience; the warm lighting, cosy and intimate environment (especially so when you are seated at the bar seats), the smell of tea in the space, and also a relatively quiet oasis for you to relax and/or also focus on the tea. It is also served in a relaxing pace, and you can also converse with the tea master regards to it (I’m a very curious person by the way). The whole experience for us is about an hour’s time and just about nice for their closing time.

There’s also a co-working space on the 2nd floor (refer to the first photo of this post), but I do believe you need to make a reservation if you are going to use this co-working space on their website.

Shop Front Sabo Issho — **Shop Front**
Sabo Issho

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Address: 石川県金沢市東山 1-26-13

Opening Hours: 10am-5pm Wednesday to Sunday

Payment Method: Cash and Cards

Website: https://issho.kagaboucha.com/

Tabelog: https://tabelog.com/en/ishikawa/A1701/A170101/17000060/

(Last visited: October 2019)