Tea shopping in Tokyo

Hi--

Basically, any store that specializes in tea will be able to show off a variety of teas, and will be good at showing your friend how to make tea (which will probably involve buying a Japanese tea pot or two (the better ones come in wooden boxes, easier to bring home safely!)

Tea specialty stores, by and large, know that selling their products (even to Japanese customers) requires some time and good hostly instruction. They need to feel reasonably sure you will buy something before they'll put on the whole show, though ;)

The problem is *language*. There *are* tea stores with clerks who speak English reasonably well, you just have to hunt for them. Perhaps searching for tea shops that have web pages in English, followed up with an e-mail asking if they have clerks who can manage English? There are also several web-sites for ex-pats living in Tokyo. A search of their archives or a new query will doubtless turn up good suggestions.

I realize I haven't answered your question, but perhaps I have helped shape the discussion.

Lewis Per> A friend of mine who loves green tea will be in Japan a couple of