Tea Shop RiverFlow

[Tea time to enjoy tea leaves from around the world in a pot]

This is a rare tea specialty store even within Fukuoka Prefecture. The interior is furnished with antique furniture from England, creating a relaxed atmosphere. The store manager discovered the charm of tea while staying in England in his 20s, and after returning to Japan he began to study tea in earnest. He opened the store in Okinohata, Yanagawa City in 2004. When the store first opened, customers thought it was just an ordinary coffee shop, and would order coffee that wasn’t on the menu, so “it took quite a while for people to recognize us as a tea specialty store,” but now the store’s presence has become well known, and it is visited by tea lovers of all ages. There are also regular customers who visit from outside Yanagawa City.

The shop mainly sells tea leaves sourced from the world’s black tea producing regions, such as India, Sri Lanka, and China. They serve tea in large pots that hold more than two cups so that customers can “enjoy a relaxing time.” The recommended drink is the “River Flow,” named after the shop. It is a flavored tea with the scent of white peach and caramel. The charm of black tea is that “it may seem simple at first glance, just pouring hot water over the tea leaves, but the flavor changes each time you brew it. In order to brew it optimally, I concentrate my mind when pouring the hot water and clear my mind,” the manager said, and I could feel his passion for black tea. They also serve lunch during the day, with a set of “monthly special” and “hamburger lunch” that comes with dessert and black tea.

When we visited, the Yanagawa Sagemon Meguri was approaching, and the first floor was beautifully decorated with Hina dolls. From the second floor seats, you can get a close-up look at the boats going down the Yanagawa canal. This is a shop where you can enjoy teas from around the world in a luxurious atmosphere while looking out at the Yanagawa scenery.