Arsa Longa
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my favourite hidden tea gem in kyoto: tea studio mandaracha 🌱🍵
speaking of highlights in kyoto (and there were so many) one experience stands above the rest: my visit to tea studio mandaracha ❤️
i first heard about the place through tea groups and couldn’t be more grateful for the recommendation. expectations were already high, given all the praise — but mandaracha still managed to exceed them.
the studio is run by alex, a former engineer who first fell in love with tea in china and later in japan. with a typically precise, almost technical approach, he has been studying, sourcing, and experimenting with japanese teas for years. but what makes the place shine is not just alex’s knowledge — it’s his openness and passion. he answers every question with enthusiasm, shares stories about the estates he works with and brings rare teas back into circulation.
even his tea card impresses: maps, graphs, and concise notes on japan’s tea geography — a thoughtful little tool that helps you taste with both brain and senses. in japan they say 神は細部に宿る kami wa saibu ni yadoru – “god dwells in the details” 🌱🙏
for my session today, i was delighted to find a red gaba tea. im big fan of gaba but usually don’t encounter it very often, especially currently in japan! it’s a pity cause gaba tea itself has a fascinating story. it was invented in japan in the 1980s by dr. tsushida to create a tea rich in gamma-aminobutyric acid (gaba) - a natural compound that calms the nervous system, lowers blood pressure and supports relaxation. the method involves processing tea leaves in a nitrogen-rich, oxygen-free environment, which encourages gaba to accumulate in the leaves.
surprisingly though japan pioneered the technique, gaba never took off domestically. japanese tea culture is still dominated by green teas and gaba from green varieties doesn’t develop the same richness as in oolong or red teas. instead the technique found new life in taiwan, where gaba oolongs became popular and are still widely produced today. also vietnam slowly picks up and last gaba i showed you, was made there with taiwanese know-how ❤️
alex’s japanese red gaba from shizuoka is also very special. it’s rare, complex and deeply soothing — with layers of taste. i honestly lost count of how many brews i had (around ten for sure!) and by the end i felt like i’d had both an evening satori and a feast for the senses. small hidden paradise - in a cup 😁🙏
the gaba and few other small gift samples i took also with me for my growing tea collection - looking forward to taste all of those too.
so yes; if you are tea lover in kyoto mandaracha - is the must see place. can’t recommend enough - my kyoto tea highlight definitely ❤️🙏
