OIMO Cafe a hidden Gem in Tokyo!

Matcha & green tea popularity in western world has generated more attention within cafe & restaurant owners these days which means you all tea lovers can have more and more options now. People live in Tokyo can see many cafes are adding lots of eye catching fancy Matcha products to their menu based on this new market demand. However, when it comes to Tea Time For You’s dedicated taste we prefer to stay calm till we find our perfect place to go. We don’t go for look, we go for quality. Thanks to our dear friend Akito’s recommendation, our charming & professional tea former in Shizuoka (one of the best team farm places in Japan).

O-Imo means sweet potato in Japanese, so as you can guess this cafe’s main concept is actually about sweet potato! They have two huge potteries where they smoke their sweet potato in shop. Beside that, they have a great green tea selection from various farms that is perfect combination for your afternoon tea time. The interior design is spectacular! The whole cafe is one long bright natural wood countertop where you can sit, minimalist & elegant interior with white frame windows that let sunshine in & the sounds of boiling water pot makes the whole atmosphere very Zen! When we were sipping our tea in OIMO Cafe we found this place as an absolute Gem! Hidden & loved by its owners father & son.

When you hear the story behind this cafe you realize why this is a place we want to mention about it. The owners are sweet potato farmers in a small town near Tokyo. Everyday all farmers gather together at break time share some sweet potato with green tea. The son appreciated the happiness he could gain by a simple tea time with other farmers. He used the term in Japanese “ほっこり” meaning heartwarming. Feeling more comfortable with community surround them. Sharing jokes & laughters, up & downs in work. He wanted to spread around this happiness to more people in the village so he makes the first OIMO Cafe just next to his farm. He makes sure their cafe has only few seats by the counter where they are serving everyone so they can have a warm welcoming and get to talk with everyone.

More fun part about sitting at the counter is you can enjoy watching how he makes your green tea ready in a very formal manner with those traditional gorgeous tea pots. It can be like a easier way of tea ceremony. Their English is perfect you can ask any question to find your favorite tea and set with your sweet potato as desert.

We asked him how they choose their right tea farmers, he convinced me completely! He said choosing the right tea is not about brand and popularity but is about who & how make them and the perfect match for their sweet potato.

We couldn’t be more thankful by their warm hospitality, letting us tasting different tea and enjoying the long conversation.