I've never been to Japan but I would love to. Seeing Japan's beauty and culture through the anime series I watched such as Cardcaptor Sakura, Inuyasha, and xxxHolic, makes me want to experience all those. I'm pretty sure I'll get to. But for now, I'll settle drinking tea with edible flowers (yes, you read that right!) or Lava Pearl Latte under the cherry blossoms in this one of a kind tea shop in Maginhawa.
This beautiful place is called Sakura Hanami. The tea shop had their grand opening on June 28 and I was there with my fellow foodie and blogger friends.
Here's a short video. Please subscribe, like and share! Special thanks to the owners of Sakura Hanami - Ms. Joyce , Ms. Sharmay and Ms. Ella as well as their staff. 🌸
So what does Sakura Hanami mean exactly? Pretty sure you already know the word "sakura" but the second one might be a mystery. Hanami means flower viewing. This is a centuries-old tradition of having a picnic under the cherry blossoms. So if you can't go to Japan just yet, Sakura Hanami has the perfect visual representation of this tradition.
In fact, the first thing you see when you visit them is the artificial cherry blossom tree. Once you enter, you'll be greeted by a wonderful and mesmerizing interior. On the left you'll is a huge mirror showing you the reflection of the wall on the right which is filled with various shades of pink roses. When you look up, you'll see cherry blossoms and gold ceiling lamps. Though small, the place is still breathtaking and exudes positive energy.
I honestly do not like pink. I guess you can tell that already when you check my Instagram account. 🙂 But I don't hate the colour. I think the shades of pink along with their white marble tables, transparent chairs and other elements work well together. It brings out a fresh and at the same time calming ambience. I guess you could say it's just like having a picnic under the cherry blossoms!
Now for the TEA!
They offer a variety of flavours under each category which includes Hanami Premium Blends, Autumn Blends, Spring Blends, Summer Blends and Winter Blends (hot). Cool names, right?
Our group was able to try the Red Velvet Cheesecake Milk Tea and Cherry Blossom Fizz Tea which is under the Hanami Premium Blends, the Lava Pearl Latte under Autumn Blends, Matcha Creme Milk Tea under Summer Blends and the Traditional Cherry Blossom Tea under Winter Blends.
Sadly, they don't have snacks BUT they are in the process of developing. If you're not in the mood to drink milk tea, you can enjoy it in the form of Bubble Mousse. This bottled delight is served with black sugar pearl and is available in five flavours: Classic Milky, Strawberry Rose, Matcha Creme, Chocolate and Dark Chocolate.
So which ones captured my heart, you ask? Well, here they are!
The Cherry Blossom Fizz is a very lovely drink. It is a soda beverage with edible glazed cherry blossom. It's slightly sweet but very unique and refreshing. If you prefer a hot version of this, recommend the Traditional Cherry Blossom Tea. It has a subtle, flowery scent which I adore and the flavour is nice, too!
Do you love Match like I do? Then you'll love their Matcha Creme milk tea and Bubble Mousse. I prefer my Matcha strong but once in a while I enjoy a creamy one and these two are fine.
A super must-try and my ultimate favourite is the Lava Pearl Latte. It looks good but tastes great! It's pretty obvious that Sakura Hanami targets female customers. But if you want to bring your guy friends or boyfriend, you don't need to worry because this is the perfect drink for them. It's not pink and has no flowery scent but still good. Oh, by the way, I also enjoyed the Strawberry Rose and Dark Chocolate Bubble Mousse.
So are you ready to enjoy your tea or Bubble Mousse under the cherry blossoms? You can find Sakura Hanami at #168 Maginhawa Street, Diliman, Quezon City.
Happy tea drinking!
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
