Experience high-quality Japanese sweets and matcha at Chorakudo , near Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden

• Table of Contents
• What is Chorakudo ? A Japanese confectionery shop run by a former French chef
• Our motto is "sweet, not too sweet": making healthy sweets
• A moment spent in a high-quality space: A cafe surrounded by traditional crafts
• Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) experience is also recommended for foreign visitors tourists: Enjoy authentic Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae)
• The unexpected combination of matcha and chocolate: a dish that showcases French sensibility
• Seasonal sweets and specially selected teas: Enjoy choosing your favorites
• A variety of teas
• Enjoy classic and seasonal sweets

What is Chorakudo ? A Japanese confectionery shop run by a former French chef

Chorakudo is located near Okayama Castle and Okayama Korakuen Garden, two of Okayama 's most famous tourist spots. The Japanese sweets made by a former French chef are visually stunning and bursting with the delicious flavors of seasonal ingredients. The shop blends in with the quaint streetscape, creating a stylish Japanese atmosphere that catches the eye. You can enjoy additive-free, healthy Japanese sweets, mainly daifuku and Ohagi, at the shop on the first floor and the cafe on the second floor.

Okayama Castle【Ujo (Crow Castle)】

2-3-1 Marunouchi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward,...

This castle was built by Ukita Hideie, a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of the Five Elders of Toyotomi. The unusual scalene pentagonal, three-story, six-storey castle tower has a dignified appearance, and its black clapboard exterior has earned it the nickname "Ujo Ujo (Crow Castle)." From the Mogami, you can look down on the Asahikawa, and enjoy a 360-degree view of Okayama Korakuen Garden and the city. The original castle tower was destroyed in an air raid in 1945 (Showa 20), but has now been rebuilt, with the lord's room and other areas restored. On the first floor, there is a Bizen Pottery workshop where you can try your hand at clay twisting. In addition, the popular " U-jo (Crow Castle)Togenkyo " event is held in spring, summer and autumn, where the Okayama Castle tower and surrounding area are lit up.

Okayama Korakuen Garden

703-8257 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

A large garden built by Tsunamasa Ikeda, the second lord of the Okayama domain, as a place for relaxation. The spacious garden, decorated with seasonal flowers, is a different world just like the Edo period. In 1952, it was designated as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” as a historical and cultural heritage site, and received a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. Various events are held throughout the four seasons, such as tea gathering and moon viewing, and for a limited time, you can enjoy the ``Fantasy Garden,'' which is specially opened at night and lights up the garden in a different way than during the day. Volunteer guides (free of charge) are also popular with tourists.

Our motto is "sweet, not too sweet": making healthy sweets

The sweets made by the shop owners, Mr. and Mrs. Kurihara, are healthy and "sweet without being too sweet." They are carefully made one by one with a focus on ingredients and manufacturing methods, and they have a seasonal feel and are beautiful to look at, and they certainly taste "sweet without being too sweet."

A moment spent in a high-quality space: A cafe surrounded by traditional crafts

The first floor is a shop, and the second floor is a cafe. Steam rising from the iron kettle wafted through the calming space. The shop is decorated with traditional Okayama Prefecture crafts, Ujo Carving (Okayama Traditional Lacquer Craft), Bizen Pottery ware, and dried flowers, creating a high-quality space. The address is "1-1-1 Marunouchi , Kita Ward, Okayama City ," with numbers arranged in a neat order, and even the atmosphere of the space seemed to be filled with good energy.

Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) experience is also recommended for foreign visitors tourists: Enjoy authentic Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae)

foreign visitors tourists often ask me where they can drink Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style), and I highly recommend this place! The owner, Mr. Kurihara, prepared the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) for us. One of the joys of the experience is watching the Tea Ceremony Performance (Temae) right in front of you. Every single movement was meticulous, and the time spent waiting for the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) was an enjoyable one. The tableware is Bizen Pottery.

Enjoy the tea ceremony utensils

While waiting for the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style), I also enjoyed the tea utensils lined up in front of me. An iron kettle was placed over the electric kettle to keep the water mellow. The hourglass used to measure time was stylish, and I felt that it had a fresh feel, combining tradition with newness.

The unexpected combination of matcha and chocolate: a dish that showcases French sensibility

The Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) was ready. Since I was there, I decided to try the popular "Chestnut & Matcha Zenzai with Chocolate" (1,400 yen). The Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Ceremony Style) was Uji matcha from Okayama Tsujirien, and it was filled with warm special bean paste, candied chestnuts, and freshly boiled shiratama dumplings. It was delicious topped with cacao nibs and chocolate to change up the flavor. At first glance, it may seem like an odd combination, but it was exquisitely delicious, and I felt that this was a testament to the owner's sensibility as a former French chef.

Seasonal sweets and specially selected teas: Enjoy choosing your favorites

The shape of the rice container is lovely, but the sweets inside are so beautiful and look so delicious! The sweets change with the seasons. I decided to choose two to enjoy with my tea.

You can also choose a teapot

The teapot for the tea is also Bizen Pottery, and there are various shapes of lids to choose from. I chose a pine cone lid. Bizen Pottery is unglazed pottery, which makes the water mellow and makes the tea taste delicious.

A variety of teas

There was a wide selection of teas carefully selected by the owner, and I was tempted, but I decided on Japanese Black Tea, as I was in the mood for the day. Japanese Black Tea is black tea made from Japanese tea leaves. It is a blend of Japanese Black Tea from Okayama Prefecture and Japanese Black Tea from Fukuoka Prefecture , and it has the mellow aroma of black tea, but is not bitter. The last drop is said to be the "drop of God," and they brewed it thoroughly until the very end.

Enjoy classic and seasonal sweets

I enjoyed the shop's standard " Seven-Grain Rice Ohagi (Local Rice)" and the seasonal "Japanese Chestnut & Matcha Daifuku" with Japanese Black Tea. The seven grain rice in the "Seven-Grain Rice Ohagi (Local Rice)" contains vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and dietary fiber, which help regulate the intestinal environment, suppress carbohydrate absorption, and promote cholesterol excretion. Hokkaido grown bean paste is rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties that suppress free radicals that cause cellular aging, and is also rich in iron, making it effective in preventing anemia. These are healthy sweets made with high-quality ingredients.

The second cup is Genmaicha (Roasted Rice Tea)

For the second cup, I had Genmaicha (Roasted Rice Tea). I put the lid on and let it steep for 5 minutes. This one was also brewed to the last drop. It was a fragrant tea, and felt familiar to Japanese people.

Summary: A special cafe experience you'll want to visit in between sightseeing

Be sure to visit between sightseeing, for a coffee break with friends, or to have some time for yourself. After visiting Okayama Castle and Okayama Korakuen Garden, this is a special place where you can experience traditional Japanese sweets and tea culture. Enjoying Japanese sweets made with the sensitivity of a former French chef and carefully brewed tea in a refined space will be a wonderful memory of your trip to Okayama.

[Okayama Chorakudo]

Address: 1-1-1 Okayama Prefecture, Kita-ku , Okayama City, Okayama Kita Ward

TEL: 086-232-1123

Business hours: 10:00-17:00 *Cafe 11:30-17:00 (LO 16:00)

Closed: Mondays (please check the official Instagram )

Parking: 3 spaces

Okayama Chorakudo| Official website