When it comes to seasonal events in October, Halloween comes to mind.
Halloween is often a time for dressing up and playing pranks, but in 2024, an event called “Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea” was held to enjoy Halloween through food.
This event was planned to mark the 10th anniversary of Kurashiki Afternoon Tea, a sweets event that is hugely popular every year. Drawn to the Halloween and afternoon tea collaboration, I invited a friend and went along.
Here’s a look at Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea, with a different flavor from previous years.
The information provided was current when this article was published in December 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea?
Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea was a sweets event held from Wednesday, October 2, to Monday, November 4, 2024 (a public holiday).
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea, held every summer and winter, is an event where you can enjoy an afternoon tea unique to Kurashiki, featuring an abundance of fruit grown in Okayama Prefecture. 2024 marked its 10th year, and Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea was planned to celebrate the 10th anniversary.
With afternoon tea themed around Halloween, the spread features playful sweets that are fun to look at.
Previous Kurashiki Afternoon Tea events had a requirement that “grapes and peaches be used in summer, and strawberries in winter,” but this time there were no restrictions on the fruit used.
Seasonal Okayama Prefecture fruits such as figs, persimmons, pears, and chestnuts were used, making for an afternoon tea where each participating shop’s individuality shone through.
![[Held October 1 (Tue)–November 4 (Mon)] Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea: Enjoy Halloween with a limited-time, playful afternoon tea—cute? Spooky?](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/23001712/24718b9c315345e1ec28f72e602a2731.jpg)
All the shops looked appealing, but since the friend I was going with was interested in gluten-free food, I visited Koji Cafe Dining Yukari, where you can enjoy sweets made with koji and rice flour.
Visiting Koji Cafe Dining Yukari
I made a reservation in advance and headed to Koji Cafe Dining Yukari on Friday, October 18, 2024.
The interior is decorated with plants such as dried flowers, and the wooden tables and chairs give it a warm feel. The bright, sunlit space is comfortable and inviting.
There was also counter seating, and the atmosphere seemed welcoming for solo diners.
Halloween Afternoon Tea at Koji Cafe Dining Yukari
First to arrive was a plate of jelly made with seasonal grapes and rice-flour cookies, along with warm pumpkin potage.
The rice-flour cookies were shaped like ghosts and bats, fitting for Halloween. The ghost’s expression was so adorable, it warmed my heart.
Next, a three-tier afternoon tea stand was brought out.
The sweets packed onto the plates made me exclaim, “Wow!” Their gorgeous appearance had me excited even before I took a bite.
A staff member explained each of the sweets and savory items one by one.
The top plate held a Mont Blanc parfait, carrot cake, and pears and grapes—a medley of autumn flavors.
Seeing the carrot cake decorated with a white cross, I thought of foreign cemeteries and Dracula.
The middle plate featured a rice-flour cookie choux pastry, purple sweet potato Basque cheesecake, fig tart, and cassis and chocolate mousse. The small glass in the center contained sweet white koji amazake.
The mousse was frozen, so I was told that if you ate it right away, you could enjoy it like ice cream.
The bottom plate held savory, salty dishes.
Rice-flour bread topped with tomato sauce and figs, carrot râpée, roast beef salad, and shrimp gratin with sake lees—there was a wide variety of dishes, from warm to cold.
I like savory foods, so I was also pleased that there was a generous selection of savory items. It was definitely the right call to come hungry.
What surprised me was that none of the menu items contained any wheat flour at all. Even people with wheat allergies can enjoy the sweets and cookies with peace of mind, so I thought this was an afternoon tea that would be easy to invite all kinds of people to.
Wholesome sweets made with koji and rice flour
First, I tried some sweets unique to Koji Cafe Dining Yukari.
The first thing I tasted was white-koji amazake served in a beautiful glass.
I had always imagined amazake as rich and sweet, but the white-koji amazake was not too sweet, with a pleasant tartness that made it easy to drink. It was served in a small portion, but it was so delicious that I found myself wanting another glass.
Next, I tried a rice-flour cookie cream puff.
The pastry shell was crisp and light, and went perfectly with the mellow cream inside. Before trying it, I wondered, “Will it have that distinctive rice-flour flavor?” but you might not even realize it was made with rice flour unless someone told you.
I also tried rice-flour bread topped with figs. The purple rice-flour bread and pink figs gave it a subtle Halloween feel.
The rice-flour bread was moist and went very well with the figs, whose texture was delightfully seedy. It was the kind of item I’d want to enjoy as a snack with drinks, too.
My friend and I chatted away, saying, “This is made with rice flour too,” and “Amazing, isn’t it?”
Chestnuts, grapes, and figs: enjoying the flavors of autumn
The afternoon tea also featured plenty of locally grown fruit, an essential part of Kurashiki Afternoon Tea.
The chilled grape jelly had a refreshing sweetness that made it perfect for cleansing the palate. I also enjoyed the contrast between the textures of the nata de coco and jelly.
The Mont Blanc parfait was topped with a large chestnut and was wonderfully satisfying. Its warm, mellow sweetness was the very taste of autumn. Beneath the Mont Blanc was a three-layer dessert of roasted green tea jelly, panna cotta, and chestnut mousse, with the flavor changing as I ate my way through it.
The item I had been most looking forward to was the beautiful fig tart.
It was a generous portion, as if it used a whole fig. The juicy sweetness of the ripe fig and the crumbly tart crust were irresistible.
Getting to enjoy all the flavors of autumn in one go made me feel truly spoiled.
From the simple sweetness of chestnuts and sweet potatoes to the tangy sweetness of figs and grapes, I enjoyed a variety of flavors in the sweets and never got tired of eating them.
A wide variety of tempting drinks
At Koji Cafe Dining Yukari’s afternoon tea, you can order two drinks.
Classic drinks like coffee and tea are hard to pass up, but I was also curious about the original herbal teas and amazake juice that you can only try here.
After much deliberation, I ordered a cafe au lait for my first drink.
The cafe au lait came filled to the brim in a large cup that I had to hold with both hands. The foam milk on top was fluffy and fine-textured, and the rich cafe au lait made the sweet treats even more enjoyable. The muted yellow cup also had a lovely autumnal feel.
For my second drink, I ordered the herbal tea “Ururu.” I don’t usually drink herbal tea, but I decided to give it a try while I had the chance.
The herbal tea was brought out in a glass teapot. Its lovely aroma filled the air as soon as it was poured into the teacup.
“Ururu” was based on oolong tea and had a very easy-to-drink flavor. It also had a clean finish and went well with the rich sweetness of the desserts.
My friend ordered “Tsuki,” an herbal tea containing chamomile. It also had a light flavor, and its aroma was soothing.
The teapot held about two cups of herbal tea, so my friend and I each tried a cup of the other’s tea.
At first, I wondered, “Will two cups be enough?” But each serving was generous, so I was completely satisfied.
We took our time enjoying sweets and tea as we chatted, making it a Halloween afternoon tea that left us feeling satisfied in both body and mind.
From the Writer
Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea was a special experience where I could enjoy plenty of autumn fruit and playful sweets.
I’ve been to Kurashiki Afternoon Tea in summer and winter before, but this was my first time enjoying autumn fruit, so it felt like a fresh take on Kurashiki Afternoon Tea. I thought Halloween was the perfect theme for its 10th anniversary.
Everything at Koji Cafe Dining Yukari’s afternoon tea had a gentle flavor, and I felt warm inside after finishing. Both the sweets and drinks were generous portions, so I recommend going hungry.
The next Kurashiki Afternoon Tea will be held from Wednesday, January 15 to Monday, March 31, 2025. The winter-only afternoon tea featuring strawberries is available only at this time of year. Treat yourself during the cold winter months and be sure to stop by.
Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea details
| Name | Kurashiki Halloween Afternoon Tea |
|---|---|
| Dates | Period: October 2 to November 4, 2024 |
| Location | Kurashiki City |
| Participation fee (tax included) | Varies by venue |
| Website | Kurashiki Afternoon Tea |
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