Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee: The journey so far and hopes for the future
This interview was conducted during our first visit in December 2021.
How did Kurashiki Afternoon Tea get started?
Morita (honorifics omitted)
Although many local people enjoy it now, the event originally came about as we considered how to help tourists enjoy Kurashiki even more.
When you think of Okayama, you think of fruit. Grapes and peaches are produced in abundance, but there weren't many places to eat them in the Bikan Historical Area. A dessert on a single plate is something you can find anywhere, so we were thinking about creating something with more impact.
Then, during a casual conversation, someone said, “I had afternoon tea the other day.”
We searched online right then and there for “What is afternoon tea?” and found photos of sweets arranged on tiered plates. We got excited and said, “Wow! This could be great!”
Image courtesy of the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee
It seemed perfect because it could offer not only a chance to savor fruit, but also a “moving experience.”
Since it began in 2015, Kurashiki Afternoon Tea has always featured either grapes or peaches in summer, and strawberries and warm dishes in winter. One of our requirements is that fresh Okayama-grown fruit be used somewhere on the menu.
Another rule that has remained unchanged from the beginning is that drinks must include “two drinks, free refills, or be served by the pot.”
For example, at Candle Taku Watanabe-tei, you can enjoy a meal while surrounded by candlelight. One drink isn't enough to fully enjoy that kind of experience, is it?
We also want people to preserve a record of this moving experience, so we hold a photo contest on social media every time.
Mr. Inoue, who is both a participating Kurashiki Afternoon Tea restaurant and the manager of Candle Taku Watanabe-tei, how has it been for you so far?
Inoue (honorifics omitted)
Candle Taku Watanabe-tei opened in December 2014 and has participated in Kurashiki Afternoon Tea since its first season in summer 2015. However, I became manager in 2016, so I wasn't very involved in the first event.
I hear that when Ms. Morita invited the restaurant to participate in Kurashiki Afternoon Tea, the person in charge at the time was quite dismissive, saying, “There's no way something like this will catch on.”
Morita
I think I went back several times. In fact, many restaurants responded that way. They weren't familiar with afternoon tea, and even when I said, “Please take part,” they naturally didn't immediately say, “We'll participate.”
They would also have to prepare serving ware and come up with a menu, which would be a lot of work for the restaurants.
Inoue
But as the years went by, more and more customers came to our restaurant specifically for “afternoon tea.”
So that customers wouldn't be disappointed and say, “Oh, it's not available this season,” we even created our own afternoon tea menu for autumn and spring, when Kurashiki Afternoon Tea isn't held. I've heard that other restaurants also started offering afternoon tea year-round.
The menus themselves are constantly evolving, too.
Until around 2016, our menu focused mainly on desserts, but since our lunch hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., we shifted to a half-meal, half-dessert format.
We now have an established style featuring hors d'oeuvres, soup, a choice of meat or fish for the main course (with courses that include both, as well as a beef fillet course), and ten desserts. The chef and pastry chef rack their brains over each menu, changing them every year and every season.
To make sure drinks don't run out and our guests can enjoy a leisurely visit, we offer free refills of coffee and tea.
We've had people drink about eight cups!
What changed after you established the executive committee and privatized the event in spring 2020? The COVID-19 pandemic also began around then.
Morita
Our first crowdfunding campaign exceeded our expectations, and we were truly grateful. We realized that we had many fans, and receiving so many messages of support was a great encouragement.
Local businesses also helped us, and we really felt how much people were looking forward to Kurashiki Afternoon Tea.
At the same time, the pandemic began, and I think dining out itself became a precious experience. We had concerns, but the encouragement from everyone played a big part in helping us carry on.
The number of meals served dropped sharply in 2020, as expected, but to our surprise, in summer 2021 we welcomed more customers than in 2019.
Perhaps more people started thinking, “Let's treat ourselves to a special lunch,” since it had become harder to go out for dinner or drinks at night. Some restaurants also welcome solo diners, and the fact that you can enjoy it in a small group rather than in a large, lively crowd may have helped, too.
Sadly, some restaurants have had to close, but many are doing their best to stay open.
Image courtesy of the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee
Inoue
I think our customer base has changed, too.
We used to welcome many customers from outside the prefecture, but now reservations from within Okayama Prefecture have increased, perhaps because more local people know about us.
That said, we still have customers who come from Tokyo, Osaka, and Kagawa every time the seasons change.
Morita
Some people who are fans of a restaurant become fans of afternoon tea, while others become fans of a restaurant through afternoon tea. We're happy to see it spreading this way.
I hope Kurashiki Afternoon Tea will become one of Kurashiki's food options—in other words, a “classic.”
Since privatizing the event, we've also taken on new challenges.
One of them is a stamp rally.
Some people visited ten restaurants in a single season! There are also lots of people who visit two or more restaurants in one season.
It's great to be able to see that happening.
We've also teamed up with Nippon Travel Agency to create a travel plan that includes a visit to Kurashiki Afternoon Tea. This is the first time we've made a booklet like this.
We launched an ambassador program in winter 2022.
Benefits include a pair of meal vouchers that can be used at some participating restaurants, the chance to watch a Kurashiki Afternoon Tea menu being photographed, and the opportunity to join meetings with the organizing team.
We hope to grow Kurashiki Afternoon Tea together with the fans who support us.
My personal dream is to hold an event like a market.
Different restaurants would gather in one place, and customers could go around and put together their own original afternoon tea.
Your love for Kurashiki Afternoon Tea really comes through. How would you like customers to enjoy it?
Morita
I want people to enjoy the whole experience of dining—the restaurant's atmosphere, the service, and the time they spend eating.
I hope you'll find a restaurant you love and become a fan. And if you enjoy it, I hope you'll become a fan of afternoon tea, too.
Also, I want people to come back again and again. The menu changes every time, so you can enjoy it with a fresh perspective each visit.
Inoue
Of course, we want to welcome new customers, but we also have to keep offering things that exceed the expectations of the people who already visit us.
Our chef and pastry chef both say, “We don't look back,” and they're full of enthusiasm.
I once suggested bringing back a popular dish we'd served in the past, but they said, “We'll keep coming up with new things!” and “We'll keep doing our best in every moment!” They seem to find creating recipes rewarding.
Morita
So that's what goes on behind the menus that keep changing!
Even just looking at the photos makes me feel happy and think, “Wow, that looks amazing,” but when you actually visit the restaurant, it's many times more impressive—you think, “There was so much food!” and “This is incredibly delicious.”
Some restaurants welcome solo diners, so I think it's easy to go by yourself.
I hope lots of different people will come and try it.
From the Writer
After hearing their stories, I realized that the executive committee's passion for Kurashiki Afternoon Tea is spreading more and more to the restaurants and their customers.
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea lets you enjoy desserts and meals featuring Okayama-grown fruit at wonderful restaurants unique to Kurashiki.
I sometimes secretly treat myself to “solo Kurashiki Afternoon Tea” as a reward.
Which restaurant should I visit next...? Just looking through the brochure makes me swoon, but be sure to make a reservation and go!
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea details
| Name | Kurashiki Afternoon Tea |
|---|---|
| Dates | Summer 2026 event period July 1–September 30, 2026 |
| Location | Kurashiki City |
| Participation fee (tax included) | Price (tax included): ¥2,475–¥6,000 Varies by restaurant |
| Website | Kurashiki Afternoon Tea |
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