Riding a large motorcycle, wearing Timberland yellow boots and jeans, Kayoko Ikeya visits tea farmers in Sayama, Saitama, and Shizuoka—both regions famous for Japanese tea production. She is the third-generation owner of Sayamaen, a long-established tea store in Tachikawa, who certainly defies the image most people have of those involved in Japanese tea. She has executed various projects and activities related to Japanese tea in Kyoto, New York, Montreal, and Colombia and now manages her family business as well as the tea room at a luxury inn, Tokito.
Most of the tea leaves sold at Sayamaen are produced by tea farmers with whom Kayoko’s family maintained relationships since the time of Kayoko’s grandfather, who founded the store. The relationship has been sustained over the years as the producers and sellers understand and trust each other’s philosophy and activities. Kayoko and her family take an annual family trip to visit the tea farmers they work with —an invaluable time to hear the producers’ thoughts. They also visit tea production areas other than those of their business partners. While they want to offer Japanese teas that the producers are confident in providing, Sayamaen’s guiding principle is to be rooted in the local community and offer truly delicious tea at an affordable price for the customers.
“Just as the color and flavor of soup stock differs between Kanto and Kansai regions, the taste and aroma of tea varies throughout Japan depending on the climate and production method of the region. For example, tea produced in Shizuoka, Sayama, and other regions is often deep steamed sencha, which is characterized by its fine tea leaves that are rich, full-bodied, and leave a strong aftertaste. On the other hand, Kyoto, for example, has tea leaves with a firm, needle-like shape. They have a translucent golden color and exude a refreshing aroma. Many of our customers are accustomed to drinking deep steamed sencha because we deal with teas from Shizuoka and Sayama, where many deep steamed sencha teas are produced,” Kayoko explained.
There is a connoisseur way of using the shop, known only to its regulars. “Our regular customers in the neighborhood always bring their own tea canisters. If you bring your own tea canister, we will sell you the tea leaves of your choice in the amount you need. We serve freshly brewed tea from a teapot. We offer cold tea in the summer and warm tea in the winter, providing flavors and temperatures suited to each season.”
Tokito Sabo in Tachikawa: A Sublime Tea Experience
Japanese food culture places great importance on seasonality. Using seasonal ingredients manifests a wisdom for living in harmony with nature. Also, in tea ceremony and kaiseki cuisine, delicate dishes using seasonal ingredients are served with a strong emphasis on enjoying their flavors and beauty.
The tea room at Tokito, where Kayoko is the manager, offers an afternoon tea menu called Chaukebako (tea accompaniment box) that changes every two months. The menu offers 12 varieties of tea leaves selected from all over Japan, including some of Sayamaen’s signature teas, and complements meals and sweets, The Chaukebako is served as a set that includes three types of tea, along with colorful savory items and a selection of both Japanese and Western sweets.
Kayoko said, “The first tea we serve is ‘Hajimari no ocha’ (tea at the beginning). During the summer, we serve cold tea with a blend of seasonal herbs and Japanese tea. We blend lemon marigolds and Kyoto’s Yabukita sencha with warm water and quench it in ice. We serve it at just the right time to lock in the herbal aroma while not eliminating the flavor of the Japanese tea.”
“For the remaining two teas, we explain the tea recommendations that go well with meals and sweet dishes and let each guest choose one of the teas. We always have 12 kinds of teas available. In the box, we introduce the bottom six teas as teas that go with meals and the top six teas as teas that go with sweet dishes, and each guest can choose one tea from each shelf for a total of two kinds. While guests are enjoying their meal, the tea chosen from the lower tier is served first, and the tea from the upper tier is served when guests have almost finished their savory dishes.”
“Each tea can be tasted up to the third infusion. Many customers are impressed by the tea, which is carefully brewed in front of them one by one. For each tea, we change the temperature of the hot water and the teapot. You can also enjoy the changes in aroma and flavor from the first to the third brew.”
Finding Freedom Within Constraints
Kayoko had been a free-spirited traveler in the world, which led her to launch a business in Colombia and organize Japanese tea workshops and events. While Kayoko sought to do unique things, traditional Japanese culture values learning a form. Following a form is a means of inheriting specific skills or techniques, and mastering the foundations of creativity. The concept of beauty born of constraint, where creative changes and innovations emerge within the framework of learned fundamentals, felt very restrictive to Kayoko in the past.
“At the tea room, we brew and serve tea right in front of each guest, so we are conscious of everything from our posture to how we hold the tea utensils, how we brew the tea, and how we present it. We even change how we hold the tea utensils depending on their shape. There is a form for everything to this extent, and honestly, it felt very constricting at first. I thought that if I could do it my own way, I could brew tea more freely and easily. However, I realized that a form is important to ensure that any staff member working in this tea room can brew tea with the ability to be exact every time, regardless of their experience with tea. This realization completely changed my way of thinking.”
“After brewing tea hundreds or thousands of times, there are moments when you realize that the traditional form is actually the most logical way. This is something you can’t understand unless you keep doing it, and I think there are realizations that come only after decades of practice, like in tea ceremony or martial arts. Tea is a matter of personal preference, so there’s no single ‘right answer’ when it comes to brewing it. Even if you follow the example precisely, the taste of the tea can change dramatically with just a slight difference in hand movement. That’s why in our tea room, we strive every day to ensure that no matter who brews the tea, each cup has the same taste.”
“While working at Tokito, I realized that Japanese tea is surprisingly versatile when accompanying meals. Our menu focuses more on what our patissiers want to serve, using seasonal vegetables and fruits, rather than being consciously paired with tea. I was concerned whether Japanese tea would go well with Western-style sweets, carrot rapé, hamburgers, or sandwiches and whether customers would ask for milk tea or coffee instead. But amazingly, Japanese tea complements almost anything. For example, Awa Bancha, fermented with lactic acid bacteria, has a refreshing berry-like acidity and unexpectedly pairs well with chocolate. Sencha goes well with sushi, and a light Japanese black tea pairs nicely with traditional Japanese sweets.”
“My role is to convey to customers both the philosophies and stories of the producers, as well as the enjoyment of tea from everyday use to the authentic tea room experience. At Sayamaen, we sell tea that can be easily enjoyed in daily life, while at Tokito, we serve tea with a strong focus on aesthetics and creating special moments. Eventually, I’d like to travel around the world again, engaging in activities to help people discover the appeal of Japanese tea.”
Kayoko Ikeya, CEO, Sayamaen Co., Ltd., and Japanese Tea Instructor
Kayoko Ikeya began her career at Ippodo Tea Co., a long-established Japanese tea specialty store in Kyoto. In 2014, she moved to Colombia, where she started selling tea and promoting tea culture. In 2017, she founded Sayamaen Japanese Tea S.A.S Colombia. The following year, she returned to Japan and became the third-generation head of Sayamaen, promoting Japanese tea worldwide in Japanese, English, and Spanish. Since 2023, she has been managing the tea room at the luxury inn Tokito.
About Tachikawa
Tachikawa is known for its history as the site of a U.S. military base, which brought significant changes to the area, spurring infrastructure development and economic growth after the war. After the base was later returned to Japan, Tachikawa actively engaged in urban redevelopment. Today, Tachikawa flourishes as the gateway to Tama. As a tourist destination, Tachikawa is home to the Showa Commemorative National Park and has recently gained popularity as a mecca for anime and manga fans.
Photography Seiji Kondo