KOKO Kawane is located at The Star Vista.
Drawing on 13 generations of tea-making expertise, KOKO Kawane arrives in Singapore with signature blends that celebrate the matcha heritage of Shizuoka’s Kawane region.
There’s something to be said about the dedication the Japanese have when it comes to preserving their culture. Whether that means staying true to time-honoured traditions or paying homage to the past through modern innovation, Kazuteru Ohashi, the 13th-generation Owner of Kawane Matcha, knows it well. Since its founding in the 1600s, the matcha atelier has remained among Japan’s most esteemed tea specialists, and fans can now taste Kawane Matcha’s signature blends at KOKO Kawane located within The Star Vista in Singapore.
Inside, KOKO Kawane is a picture of serenity, with warm wooden furnishings, floor-to-ceiling windows, abundant natural light, and communal seating arrangements designed to reflect the rolling hills of Kawane, Shizuoka, home to the tea farms. Seating 15 guests at a time, the tea house’s interiors make for a fitting setting to partake in the ritual of ‘ochagashi’, the Japanese culinary concept of pairing tea with confectionery, as baristas freshly mill tea from a stainless-steel Hibiki grinder counterside for preparation.
The menu offers three variations of matcha lattes. A favourite is the creamy and deeply umami Soemon Blend, featuring a speciality mix of tea leaves from three cultivars, namely the Okumidori, Tsuyuhikari, and Yabukita, that tastes reminiscent of dashi. Those preferring something lighter on the palate can instead order the House Blend for its gently bitter flavour profile. A toasty Hojicha is also available and can be prepared with either dairy or oat milk. All lattes at KOKO Kawane are primarily sweetened with raw cane sugar for its complementary nuanced flavour.
Purists won’t want to miss the tea house’s selection of usucha. Whisked purely with water, without dairy or its alternatives, the most sensible way to begin with KOKO Kawane is the Usucha Flight, which lets guests sample the undiluted tasting notes of Tsuyuhikari, Soemon Blend, and Okumidori, side by side.
Sweets at KOKO Kawane are presented by Head Pastry Chef Mei Kubota, who brings with her a decade of experience crafting patisserie under acclaimed chocolatiers such as Richard Sève to the tea house. The star on the menu is the Hisui, a matcha mousse creation embedded with hazelnut praline, strawberry jam, and a matcha sponge. Another crowd winner is the Akane, which comes with a thin chocolate shell hued in the colours of tea fields at twilight, encasing a melange of tropical fruit components.
“For more than 400 years, my family has cared for these fields with respect for the land and for the knowledge handed down through each generation,” shares Ohashi. “Through KOKO Kawane, I hope guests in Singapore can experience the character of Kawane tea and understand the care behind every cup. It is a meaningful way to carry our family’s work forward and share it with a wider audience.”
Where: KOKO Kawane, The Star Vista, Buona Vista, Singapore
When: Daily from 10am to 9pm
Contact: kokokawane.sg