Visited 16.03.2014
Was reading a travel guide on Kyushu and stumbled across this picture of a heart shaped tea cup, which was served by River Flow, a tea house in Yanagawa. Paying this tea house a visit soon had to be put into my list of places to visit in Yanagawa (apart from tasting its famous steamed eel rice) for this trip!
Went for the river punting cruise, the activity most tourists would engage in on their debut trip to Yanagawa, also referred to the city of river. Alighted at Okihata (the end point of an hour long river punting cruise), and made our way to River Flow located in the vicinity. A two storey shophouse which overlooks the scenic river, River Flow sells more than 50 different varieties of tea. Interior of the tea house was decorated with European style wallpaper, wooden furnishing and parquet flooring - all these features created a homely and cosy ambience for guests to relax in. First floor is their tea shop, while the upper deck has about 6 tables for in house dining.
Original intent was to take a short break here over a cup of tea. However, we could not resist not ordering their limited period lunch set (1,350 yen), which was introduced for Dolls Festival, to share. Had two other tea and dessert sets, each comprised of a slice of cake and a pot of tea.
(1) Main course of the lunch set was made up of many delectable small dishes: meat loaf, mackerel with sesame sauce, simmered vegetables, broccoli and bamboo shoot mixed with ume dressing, asparagus and walnut with Japanese dressing, fried beancurd stuffed with sushi rice and soup. Strawberry milk jelly dessert and a pot of tea were served at the end of the meal. The lunch set not only had a good balance of meat and vegetable items and eye appealing plating, tastewise it had exceeded our expectations as well.
(2) Two tea and desserts sets:
- Haruiro Set はるいろセット (850 yen), which comprised of matcha azuki chiffon cake and sakura tea.
- Hina Set ひなセット (850 yen), which comprised of strawberry custard roll cake and original blend tea.
Cakes and tea were served in beautiful and intricate flower patterned porcelain wares. Preferred the chiffon cake beacause the matcha flavour was fully infused in the sponge cake. Both cakes went well with the recommended type of tea.
Overall dinning experience was good. River Flow has a apt setting for people to spend an afternoon here with families and friends, catching up on each other's life, with the company of delicious cakes and aromatic tea.
Was reading a travel guide on Kyushu and stumbled across this picture of a heart shaped tea cup, which was served by River Flow, a tea house in Yanagawa. Paying this tea house a visit soon had to be put into my list of places to visit in Yanagawa (apart from tasting its famous steamed eel rice) for this trip!
Went for the river punting cruise, the activity most tourists would engage in on their debut trip to Yanagawa, also referred to the city of river. Alighted at Okihata (the end point of an hour long river punting cruise), and made our way to River Flow located in the vicinity. A two storey shophouse which overlooks the scenic river, River Flow sells more than 50 different varieties of tea. Interior of the tea house was decorated with European style wallpaper, wooden furnishing and parquet flooring - all these features created a homely and cosy ambience for guests to relax in. First floor is their tea shop, while the upper deck has about 6 tables for in house dining.
Original intent was to take a short break here over a cup of tea. However, we could not resist not ordering their limited period lunch set (1,350 yen), which was introduced for Dolls Festival, to share. Had two other tea and dessert sets, each comprised of a slice of cake and a pot of tea.
(1) Main course of the lunch set was made up of many delectable small dishes: meat loaf, mackerel with sesame sauce, simmered vegetables, broccoli and bamboo shoot mixed with ume dressing, asparagus and walnut with Japanese dressing, fried beancurd stuffed with sushi rice and soup. Strawberry milk jelly dessert and a pot of tea were served at the end of the meal. The lunch set not only had a good balance of meat and vegetable items and eye appealing plating, tastewise it had exceeded our expectations as well.
(2) Two tea and desserts sets:
- Haruiro Set はるいろセット (850 yen), which comprised of matcha azuki chiffon cake and sakura tea.
- Hina Set ひなセット (850 yen), which comprised of strawberry custard roll cake and original blend tea.
Cakes and tea were served in beautiful and intricate flower patterned porcelain wares. Preferred the chiffon cake beacause the matcha flavour was fully infused in the sponge cake. Both cakes went well with the recommended type of tea.
Overall dinning experience was good. River Flow has a apt setting for people to spend an afternoon here with families and friends, catching up on each other's life, with the company of delicious cakes and aromatic tea.
======
Video: Tea house was featured in 食尚玩家 previously. Scroll to 8:00 for their recommendation.
Continuation:
