Okayama Prefecture, known as the “Fruit Kingdom,” welcomes the season for delicious fruits such as white peaches and muscat grapes one after another when summer arrives.
Have you heard of an event held during this summer season where you can indulge in fresh, seasonal fruit?
It’s called “Kurashiki Afternoon Tea.”
The event began in 2015, and the number of participating businesses gradually grew, along with visitors from outside the prefecture. However, the event run by the local government ended in March 2020.
With the passionate desire to “keep Kurashiki Afternoon Tea going and revitalize the community,” the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee was formed, led by participating businesses.
They launched a crowdfunding campaign to keep the event going, and after receiving support from many people, it was decided that it would continue.
This article introduces the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea at Sora to Hana no Oka Saien Cafe Pangono in Tamashima, as well as the thoughts of Miki Morita, chair of the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee, after the crowdfunding campaign.
For the latest information, please see the article below.
The information presented was current when this article was published in August 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Kurashiki Afternoon Tea
“Kurashiki Afternoon Tea” is a Kurashiki-style take on the elegant tea gathering known as afternoon tea, where light meals and sweets are enjoyed with tea.
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea is held twice a year.
It features seasonal specialty fruits from Kurashiki and Okayama: “peaches” or “grapes” in summer, and “strawberries” in winter.
To encourage visitors to spend time relaxing in Kurashiki, drinks are served as “two drinks, free refills, or a pot of tea.”
This event is packed with the restaurants’ special touches and Kurashiki character.
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea’s first event after management shifted from the local government to the private sector
The event once faced the threat of ending, but thanks to support and encouragement from its fans, it was decided that it would continue.
![[Ended] Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Crowdfunding 2020 — The desire to launch a crowdfunding campaign to share the appeal of Kurashiki’s food](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/23044800/DSC05198-1.jpg)
The 2020 summer Kurashiki Afternoon Tea was held during the following period.
| Event period | July 20–September 30, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Participating businesses | 23 |
| Price (tax included) | ¥1,650–¥5,700 |
Reservations are required for all locations.
▼The participating businesses are listed below.
For details about participating businesses, reservation times, and more, please check the official Kurashiki Afternoon Tea website.
I visited one of the participating businesses, Sora to Hana no Oka Saien Cafe Pangono in Tamashima, and would like to introduce it.
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea at Sora to Hana no Oka Saien Cafe Pangono
Sora to Hana no Oka Saien Cafe Pangono (hereafter, Pangono) sits atop a hill surrounded by peach orchards in Tamashima, Kurashiki City.
“Pangono” means “slowly” in Nyanja, a language spoken in the Republic of Zambia.
As a measure against COVID-19, the tables have been made 50 centimeters wider than before.
You can enjoy “Kurashiki Afternoon Tea” in an open space while taking in the fresh air.
Details of Pangono’s 2020 summer Kurashiki Afternoon Tea, “Garden Cafe Afternoon Tea Set,” are as follows.
| Serving hours | 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (last order 2:00 p.m.) |
|---|---|
| Price | ¥1,650 |
| Reservations | Required (by the morning of the day) |
| Phone | 086-525-1270 |
| Closed | Mondays |
If you make a reservation that morning, you can still visit the restaurant at lunchtime.
A savory plate packed with fresh, homegrown vegetables
The savory plate is a generous spread of 10 dishes, including a salad made with plenty of homegrown vegetables, hot sandwiches, carpaccio, and soup!
An interactive herbal tea experience where you can blend herbs to your taste
The drinks include homegrown herbal tea and one other drink.
I tried blending stevia, an herb used as a sweetener, with chamomile, which helps you relax. It had a sweet, apple-like aroma, was easy to drink, and gave me a chance to unwind.
It’s fun to combine the eight varieties of homegrown herbs and find a flavor you like.
Carpaccio made with fish caught in the Seto Inland Sea and fresh vegetables from the home garden
Pangono recommends its carpaccio made with fish caught in Yorishima, Tamashima.
On the day of my visit, the carpaccio was made with hirasu and sea bass.
Hirasu has many bones, making it difficult to prepare, but the owner, Machida, carefully filleted it before serving.
The combination of the mildly tangy homemade sauce and the crunchy texture of the raw fish is excellent!
When Pangono first took part in Kurashiki Afternoon Tea in 2016, its menu focused mainly on desserts.
However, after customers asked for savory dishes as well, the menu shifted to a ratio of 60 percent savory dishes and 40 percent desserts.
Most of the vegetables come from the home garden.
Even the stand for the desserts is handmade, adding to the warm, welcoming feel.
About the first peaches harvested at Pangono, carefully grown from saplings
▲Shimizu white peaches grown at Pangono, planted as saplings in 2017 and first harvested in 2020.
Before 2020, they used purchased peaches, but they planted peach saplings and began growing their own because they wanted people to “enjoy sweeter, fully ripened peaches.”
They planted about 20 peach trees of six varieties so that each variety could be harvested during peach season.
The peaches served on the day of our visit were Shimizu Hakuto, which are in season from late July to early August.
Peaches are difficult to grow and require time-consuming care, such as regular pruning, applying fungicide, and covering them with bags. There have even been times when crows ate the peaches that had been grown with such care.
After overcoming all kinds of challenges, the peaches are allowed to ripen fully on the tree. You can only enjoy them here, where they are grown on the premises.
You'll be amazed by their melt-in-your-mouth texture and juice packed with sweetness!
After Shimizu Hakuto comes Hakurei, and finally you can enjoy Ougonto peaches. Desserts made with peaches grown on the premises are available until early September.
“Come visit if you'd like to relax in nature,” says owner Machida.
You can have lunch or enjoy a cafe visit with your dog, too.
Why not visit “Pango~no,” an open space where you can avoid crowds, and enjoy an experience out of the ordinary?
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea satisfies both your appetite and your heart.
We spoke with Miki Morita, chair of the Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Executive Committee, about the challenges she faced taking on crowdfunding and her plans for the future.
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea Information
| Name | Kurashiki Afternoon Tea |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 20–September 30, 2020 |
| Location | Kurashiki City |
| Participation fee (tax included) | ¥1,650–¥5,700 (tax included) *Varies by establishment |
| Website | Kurashiki Afternoon Tea |
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