Many people may know that the dye used to finish denim fabric in blue is made from a plant called indigo.
However, how many people know that indigo can be eaten?
The jeans brand Momotaro Jeans, operated by JAPAN BLUE, has started an initiative called Indigo Cuisine, where you can enjoy indigo not only in "clothing" but also in "food".
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store has a café called CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN, where Takemoto Chihana visited to enjoy indigo cuisine.
What kind of new genre is "Indigo Cuisine"? We will introduce the store's atmosphere and the background of its development.
Introduction to CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN
CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN is a café located at Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store on Kojima Jeans Street in Kurashiki City.
It features sweets and drinks made with indigo, the plant used to dye denim fabric blue, allowing you to enjoy "Indigo Cuisine".
Along with the renewal opening of Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store on April 27, 2021, CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN also started the new initiative of "Indigo Cuisine".
The store manager, Matsuda Yuma, will tell us about the highlights and products of CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN.
CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN Store
Store Exterior
CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN is located on the right side as you approach the entrance of Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store.
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store is housed in a building that was renovated from a post office, and CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN is also located in a renovated traditional house.
▼ The white building in the back of the photo is Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store, and the building in the foreground is CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN.
By the way, the plants planted in the planter in front of the store are indigo.
▼ It seems that in its natural state, it is not blue.
Store Interior
Upon entering the store, the first thing that catches your eye is the wooden counter.
▼ The front of the counter is decorated with wallpaper made from denim fabric called "Shin Denim".
CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN offers products for takeout only.
You can enjoy the purchased products while walking along Kojima Jeans Street or savor them in the backyard located at the back of the store.
▼ The espresso machine is made by an Italian manufacturer called La Marzocco.
"La Marzocco" is a manufacturer that values the skills of artisans, and they produce espresso machines by hand.
It was made by a company that shares the same philosophy as JAPAN BLUE, which is committed to handmade jeans.
By the way, the color of the espresso machine is inspired by white peach, and it is a one-of-a-kind custom piece.
Backyard
The backyard is small and has a cute impression.
▼ There are wooden tables and chairs along the wall of the store, where you can take a break while enjoying the purchased products.
* Currently, the tables have been removed.
Indigo is also cultivated in the backyard.
When I visited, the indigo was just blooming.
▼ The indigo flowers are a vibrant pink color.
Background of Indigo Cuisine
History of Indigo
The representative director of JAPAN BLUE, Manabe Hisao, trained as an indigo dye craftsman in Tokushima.
In the past, indigo was also eaten as an herb in Tokushima, and it seems that indigo existed in daily life not only in clothing but also in food culture.
For Manabe, tasting the dye extracted from indigo was a natural thing, as he had done so to check its state.
With the desire to spread the potential of indigo, which has been integrated into food culture since ancient times in modern times, he conceived the idea of Indigo Cuisine.
Thus, the initiative of Indigo Cuisine began from Manabe's long-standing relationship with indigo as an indigo dye craftsman.
Development of Ai Tea
Indigo does not have a taste similar to familiar Japanese tea or black tea for Japanese people.
Therefore, to make it enjoyable in modern life, they collaborated with Okayama Tsujirien, a tea-making expert.
They found that the taste changes with the roasting temperature and grinding method, aiming for a flavor that is approachable for Japanese people.
As a result, a new tea, Ai Tea, which is neither Japanese tea nor black tea, was completed.
The indigo used in Ai Tea is grown in Tokushima Prefecture.
Menu Introduction of CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN
Drink Menu
Here are the drinks offered at CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN.
| Product | Price (Tax Included) |
|---|---|
| Blue Lemonade (Ice) | 660 yen |
| <Limited Time> Indigo Chai Latte (Ice/Hot) | 550 yen |
| Matcha Latte (Hot/Ice) | 550 yen |
| Hojicha Latte (Hot/Ice) | 550 yen |
"Blue Lemonade" is a refreshing carbonated drink that catches the eye with its vibrant blue color.
Coffee
At CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN, we offer specialty coffee made from beans that meet specified standards in cultivation management, harvesting, and quality control.
A blend of beans harvested from four countries: Colombia, Guatemala, Rwanda, and Peru.
We aim for a flavor that is not too bitter and not too sour, balancing acidity.
The roasting is medium, resulting in a refreshing coffee flavor.
| Product | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Americano (Hot/Iced) | 500 yen |
| Café Latte (Hot/Iced) | 550 yen |
| Café Mocha (Hot/Iced) | 660 yen |
| Espresso Tonic (Iced) | 660 yen |
We also sell coffee beans.
1,800 yen (tax included) for 100 grams, and 2,800 yen (tax included) for 200 grams.
The packaging is made of Shin Denim, which is also used as wallpaper.
According to JAPAN BLUE's vision to make denim fabric more familiar in daily life, the coffee beans are wrapped in denim fabric.
Aikou Tea
At CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN, we also sell Aikou tea leaves.
Each bag contains 1 gram and costs 250 yen.
The Aikou tea uses indigo grown in Tokushima Prefecture.
Sweets
There are a total of four types of indigo sweets.
The sweets are developed in collaboration with the Western-style confectionery shop PIAGET located in Kojima, Kurashiki City.
| Product Name | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Denim Baumkuchen | 176 yen |
| Denim Macaron | 275 yen |
| Denim Peach Sablé | 143 yen |
| Denim Meringue Coconut | 165 yen |
Enjoy Indigo Cuisine!
I visited CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN to taste indigo cuisine, and I would like to introduce some of the products.
What kind of taste does indigo, which I am experiencing for the first time, have?
After ordering at the counter inside the store, they prepare the product for you.
After receiving the product, I headed to the cute backyard.
The first item I ordered was the signature product of CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN, "Blue, Lemonade."
▼ It is a carbonated drink with a striking vivid blue color.
True to its appearance, it has a refreshing mouthfeel with the fizz and acidity.
The source of the acidity is lemon.
▼ Setouchi lemons from Kurashiki's long-established beverage manufacturer, Kurashiki Kosen Co., Ltd. are used.
Next, I ordered the indigo matcha latte.
*Currently, the indigo matcha latte is not available, and only matcha latte is served.
▼ The color was a pale green.
It has a creamy mouthfeel and a smoothness similar to soy milk.
From its appearance, I thought it might taste like tea, but there was no astringency.
Finally, I tasted Aikou tea.
I was curious about what color would emerge from the indigo tea leaves.
▼ It had a warm impression, being a lighter red than typical black tea.
It had a refreshing taste, with absolutely no astringency like Japanese or black tea.
It was a gentle flavor that you wouldn't expect from a dye that vividly colors denim blue.
I was able to enjoy the duality of indigo.
Visiting CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN
I knew that the plant indigo is the source of the dye that colors denim fabric blue, but it was my first time seeing it in person.
This is my own assumption, but I had a chemical impression of the color blue, and I was surprised to learn that the raw material indigo is edible.
However, when I made it into tea and tasted it, it had a refreshing and gentle flavor.
I had imagined it would be strong in astringency or bitterness, but I felt pleasantly surprised in a good way.
Please visit CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN, which offers a new genre of "indigo cuisine," and taste indigo for yourself.
- Model: Takemoto Chika
CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN Data
| Name | CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-12-16 Ajino, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-476-7980 |
| Parking | Available ・There is a dedicated parking lot about a 1-minute walk from CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN ・Can accommodate up to 20 cars ・Free |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Irregular holidays Closed during New Year’s holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Seating | Outdoor benches Tables: 3 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Restroom | No restroom |
| Website | CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN (Instagram) |
