Blended tea, made by mixing various teas and ingredients, offers an infinite variety of aromas and flavors depending on the types of tea leaves and combinations of ingredients.
When you hear "blended tea," what do you imagine? Perhaps something slightly brown and fragrant?
The blended tea I encountered at JAZZ & TEA in Kamihigashi, Kurashiki City, completely overturned that image.
At JAZZ & TEA, they create unique blended teas.
While listening to jazz, they blend tea leaves and other ingredients, crafting each blend. The finished products are visually stunning, with colors like red, yellow, purple, and blue. Just like the colors, the flavors are inspired by jazz tunes, ranging from vibrant and awakening to slightly astringent.
I interviewed JAZZ & TEA, where you can discover a new world of blended tea.
The information provided is based on an article published in September 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Purchase and lessons of blended tea are fully reservation-based
JAZZ & TEA is located in a residential area of Kamihigashi, Kurashiki City, between Kurashiki City and Okayama City.
From the parking lot, it looks like a house, but as you proceed along the approach to the showroom, the atmosphere changes completely. The English garden overflowing with flowers makes you forget you are in a residential area of Kurashiki City, drawing you into the world of JAZZ & TEA.
After circling around the building, a glass-walled showroom appears.
In the showroom, you can purchase over 100 types of blended tea and take tea lessons. Both are fully reservation-based. This style was adopted to engage with each customer individually.
The bright interior, filled with sunlight, is unified in chic black.
Comfortable sofas and shelves lined with blended teas are present. As of August 2026, they reportedly handle 110 types. Each of the 110 blended teas expresses a different musical world. They say ideas for new blends keep coming, so this number is likely to increase in the future.
Expressing jazz through blended tea
Until my visit for the interview, I thought the "TEA" in JAZZ & TEA referred to "black tea," but it is not limited to black tea. They blend various ingredients, which can include green tea and Chinese tea as well. TEA refers to all types of blended tea, not just black tea.
The biggest feature of JAZZ & TEA is that it is not just blended tea.
The tea blender at JAZZ & TEA, 宮園三鈴, draws inspiration from jazz tunes to create the blends. The 110 types of blended tea each have unique aromas, colors, and flavors.
Additionally, all ingredients are naturally derived, with no artificial flavors or colorings used.
Experience blended tea with all five senses
You might wonder, "Why is it fully reservation-based for purchases?"
At JAZZ & TEA, rather than just selecting products from the shelves, they listen carefully to your requests and help you find your preferred blended tea while tasting.
For the interview, they prepared popular blends. The colors were surprisingly vibrant and beautifully stood out against the black interior of the shop.
They prepared six types. The names of the products are directly taken from jazz song titles.
Since it was for the interview, I had them choose the blends, but when shopping, you can taste your favorites.
So Wonderful
"So Wonderful" is the black tea that inspired the birth of JAZZ & TEA.
Like the song, the flavor is light. At first sip, it is vibrant, leaving a lingering taste of black tea at the end. It seems to pair well with anything and is perfect for an afternoon snack.
True Blue
A beautiful duet of trumpet and saxophone.
As the song title suggests, the blended tea is made with a beautiful blue color. The aftertaste has a hint of barley flavor, which was surprising. It is a refreshing cup to drink.
Velvet Moon
A song that seems to flow in a stylish bar.
With a flowing melody, a light tune is played occasionally.
This song, which suits the scenery from dusk to night, is expressed in a reddish-purple color. The ingredients include olive leaves from Kurashiki City, cultivated by Kanabe Olive Garden. A subtle astringency creates an adult evening atmosphere.
Misty
"Misty" is a sweet and romantic song.
The flavor of the blended tea is surprisingly sweet, as if it captures the essence of sweet love. At the end of the awakening sweetness, there is a refreshing lemon-like acidity. It must be a sweet and sour love.
Starlight Stella
"Starlight Stella," with its transparent vocals, is a beautifully poignant song.
The color, reminiscent of the night, is a transparent purple. It is said that lavender and other ingredients are used to achieve this color. The smooth melody is expressed with an apple flavor that flows gently.
Se Si Bon
A light and cheerful song, "Se Si Bon".
It is based on green tea, with a refreshing hint of lemon verbena and a floral aroma of rose. This blend tea has a familiar taste, simple yet with a floral flavor.
International Awards Received
JAZZ & TEA has received international awards.
At the AVPA Teas of the World 2025, they received the Bronze Award, recognizing the flavor of the blend tea itself. This allowed them to realize that their flavor direction is correct.
On the other hand, they participated in the London Design Awards 2026 to confirm their brand positioning.
What JAZZ & TEA aims for is not just to sell many blend teas, but to convey the "experience" as a culture. They enjoy tasting blend tea while listening to music, savoring the colors and aromas with all five senses.
They also choose tea leaves while imagining the person they will gift it to, or as a reward for themselves. The experience that JAZZ & TEA envisions is the time spent buying blend tea in the showroom.
The time spent enjoying the aroma and flavor of the blend tea they bought at home is also considered an experience. What they sell is the experience itself. At the London Design Awards 2026, their brand, design, and concept as an experience were evaluated, and they received the Silver Winner award.
Through these two awards, they gained international recognition from different aspects of "taste" and "brand/experience".
Inspired by jazz, JAZZ & TEA designs blends by transforming music into aroma, color, and flavor, and has created blend teas that have received international acclaim. We spoke with tea blender Miyazono Misuzu.
JAZZ & TEA Data
| Name | JAZZ & TEA |
|---|---|
| Address | 309-1 Kamihigashi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 070-3782-1238 |
| Parking | Available 4 cars |
| Business Hours | 【Monday to Wednesday, Friday】 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM 【Thursday, Saturday】 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Sunday, Public Holidays |
| Payment Methods |
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| Website | JAZZ & TEA |
