Singapore, a country that was once under British rule, bears remnants of British culture. One notable aspect is the development of British tea culture in Singapore. Consequently, Singapore has created its own tea brand, with “TWG” being one of the most well-known.
“Representative Tea Brand in Singapore, TWG”
One of the best-known places among them is the “TWG” store in Singapore, specializing in luxury teas. It doesn’t just sell tea; you can also sit and spend time there, similar to a cafe. When you visit a TWG store, you can taste a wide variety of teas. Checking the menu for the first time can be overwhelming, as there are about 200 types of tea to choose from.
“Encounter TWG in Japan”
Because of the memorable “Afternoon Tea” time I had at a TWG store during a past trip to Singapore, the memory lingers. Therefore, whenever I travel to a country where there is a TWG store, I try to visit and purchase tea.
- TWG Orchard Road, Singapore: Singapore Orchard Road: TWG Store
I found TWG stores in Japan as well. In Tokyo, you can find two stores: one in Ginza and the other near Tokyo Station in Marunouchi. My group visited the Marunouchi store near Tokyo Station. Unlike the spacious Singaporean stores where you can enjoy tea on-site, this was a smaller store where you could only purchase tea for takeout.
The store is located in the basement of a building and is not too hard to find, situated in a corridor. Although it was a bit disappointing that there wasn’t a place to sit and enjoy tea, I was grateful that I could still make a purchase for takeout.
“Priced at 2,200 yen per pack of 15 tea bags”
The TWG tea bags I purchased came in packs of 15 and cost around 2,200 yen per pack, approximately 20,000 won. The price was appealing, as it wasn’t significantly different from purchasing in Singapore.
It might seem a bit odd to experience the taste of Singapore in Japan, but being able to sense that flavor without traveling all the way to Singapore, especially in nearby Japan, is quite impressive. Additionally, TWG stores are available in Seoul, Jamsil, offering a closer location for those interested.
- TWG Tea at Lotte World Mall, Seoul: Seoul Jamsil, Singaporean Tea Cafe ‘TWG’
During my trip to Japan, it was a moment to briefly experience the essence of Singapore. It felt a bit strange to purchase Singaporean products rather than Japanese souvenirs, but it was still a meaningful visit.
“Japan Tokyo, Tokyo Station, TWG TEA”
- Address: Tokyo, B1F, 1 Chome-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-6590, Japan
- Phone: +81 3-3213-1837
- Website: TWG Tea
- Business Hours: 11:00 – 21:00
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