A Wonderful Encounter of Tea and Alcohol: Savor Japanese Tea Cocktails at 'Knots Tea Shop' in Tanimachi 6-chome

● 'Knots Tea Shop' quietly standing in a row house alley

Now people are rediscovering the benefits of Japanese tea, and the ways to drink and enjoy it are increasing. Japanese tea cocktails are one of them. This time, I visited Tanimachi 6-chome, a nostalgic neighborhood, and discovered a novel encounter between alcohol and tea at a Japanese tea bar. The 'Knots Tea Shop' I visited is located in Tanimachi 6-chome, affectionately called 'Taniroku' by locals. From the era when the ancient warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) unified the land, this area flourished as a castle town of Osaka Castle. Later, luckily escaping the war damage during the Great Osaka Air Raid (1944-45) at the end of World War II, many old streetscapes and buildings remain today. The shop is about a 4-minute walk from Osaka Metro Tanimachi 6-chome Station, making it very convenient. Following the map, I wove through narrow alleys lined with row houses and finally found the store.

Inside, there is a counter and table seating, and the spacious interior has a nostalgic and retro atmosphere! It is said that the owner, Mr. Yamaoka, personally dismantled and rebuilt a house built in 1907 (Meiji 40), transforming it into this shop. The vintage furniture and tools, such as the mizuyas (cupboards) and hibachi (braziers), were also given to the owner by others when he helped dismantle other old houses. Mixed with artworks displayed on the walls, the interior is stylish and never boring.

Inside Knots Tea Shop: a nostalgic building less than 120 years old, decorated with vintage furniture

● Coffee shop by day, Japanese tea cocktails by night

'Knots Tea Shop' serves lunch and tea during the day, and transforms into a bar at night. Lunch features a 'Hoji Yuba Gozen' made with hojicha-cooked yuba (tofu skin) and rice, which attracts many women specifically for this meal. Starting at 6:00 PM, it turns into a bar mainly offering Japanese tea and cocktails.

*To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the store operates on a reservation-only basis during periods designated by Osaka City. The shop's greatest care is for its tea leaves. They source Uji tea from only a single farmer. It's easier to understand if compared to single-origin coffee: this means the tea is grown and processed entirely by one farm. Generally, even gyokuro is often blended from several tea gardens to maintain consistent flavor, but single-farmer sourcing gives the tea a unique taste and aroma. Moreover, the flavor changes with the season and year, so the shop puts effort into brewing methods to enjoy the optimal taste at each time.

● Original cocktails you can only taste here

When ordering a cocktail, you choose the type of Japanese tea (sencha, kabusecha, gyokuro, karakane) and the alcohol. First, you taste the tea itself for the first brew, then enjoy the cocktail for the second brew. With too many combinations to choose from, I was torn, so I went with the store's recommendation: a plum wine (umeshu)-based 'Sairo' to enjoy gyokuro.

This is definitely something you should taste for yourself… The 'true' flavor of gyokuro and the unknown taste of Japanese tea cocktails are exquisitely delicate and thrilling! The richness of gyokuro, the sourness of plum wine, and the faint floral aroma intertwine to create a world in the glass. It's delicious, but the alcohol content is quite high, so don't overindulge!

Also, this was my first time trying the tea leaves left over! I was a bit worried if they were edible, but after adding a little soy sauce (the small pottery bird in the photo above contains soy sauce), they tasted just like a salad of green vegetables. Apparently, this is possible because the tea leaves are of the same variety and the stems are removed completely. Let me introduce three cocktails recommended by Mr. Yamaoka.

? Sairo: A plum wine base with a fruity flavor and notes of violet, mint, and cherry blossoms.

? Ryoryu: A spirit-based cocktail with a refreshing taste and a hint of cinnamon.

? Ho: A sweet potato shochu base with a flavor of plum blossoms and sweetness.

Enjoying rare tea leaves that are hard to find in the market as cocktails is truly a luxurious experience. This will surely become a unique Japanese tea experience. Today, the store also kindly offered ohagi (brown rice tea, red bean paste, hojicha) from the tea-tasting menu. It is said that these are prepared by the landlady, who is in charge of lunch and tea service. They are made fresh after each order, so the ohagi is served warm. Pairing it with a chilled cocktail feels wonderful. Usually, the bar snacks include raw chocolate made with Japanese tea.

● Individuality or Cultural Heritage? Thoughts on Japanese Tea

The charm of Knots Tea Shop at night – perhaps the greatest charm is Mr. Yamaoka himself. Mr. Yamaoka first thought of making cocktails with Japanese tea about 20 years ago when he was 20. After gaining experience as a bartender in the Minami district of Osaka, he opened this members-only bar, Knots Tea Shop, in Kitahama when he was 30.

Mr. Yamaoka, owner of Knots Tea Shop: 'When I wanted to open a bar, I felt that if I wanted to focus on Japanese tea, I needed to become an expert. So I went to a tea producer in Yao and learned about tea and brewing methods. Through this process, I discovered the joy of exploring Japanese tea. Japanese tea has no fixed theory that 'this method will always make it delicious'; the flavor changes with different tea types, harvest seasons, and even the teaware used… So I have to adapt. New iron teapots won't work either; only by 'seasoning' the pot can you achieve a smooth water texture. But conversely, that means there are many choices. The more you study, the more you gain – that's probably the charm.'

Eight years before starting Knots Tea Shop, Mr. Yamaoka proposed a new way of enjoying Japanese tea, which drew both support and opposition. For that reason, the customers include not only ordinary people but also tea industry professionals, holders of Japanese tea certifications, and even baristas, making the clientele diverse. Mr. Yamaoka 'fights seriously' every night to present a delicious cup… If you're lucky, you might even hear a deep discussion about Japanese tea!

Chatting about Japanese tea, the night grows late

Finally, I asked my question: Did you open this shop because you love Japanese tea? 'Not at all. What I wanted to do was create a worldview. I think Japanese tea is a methodology; I wanted to build a worldview centered on tea.'

In fact, Mr. Yamaoka is also a sound installation artist. The store regularly holds music events and art exhibitions; perhaps this space itself is a work of art. We often hear that the tea ceremony is not just about tasting tea; the 'arrangement' of the tea room and the tea utensils are all part of it. That's exactly right.

… And so, our conversation deepened, so let's return to the tea leaves. According to Mr. Yamaoka, the upcoming season is ideal for both Japanese tea and cocktails.

'Compared to the fresh taste of new tea, the umami of tea leaves from early autumn is fascinating. I am confident in presenting truly delicious Japanese tea to guests. You must come and visit.'

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