KOKO Kawane: 400 Years of Japanese Tea Heritage in a cup

CONTENT: Yiew Kai Jie

KOKO Kawane is a new matcha-specialty concept at The Star Vista born from a collaboration between its KOKO patisserie brand and Kawane Matcha, a family-run tea farm in Shizuoka that has been cultivating tea for over 4 centuries across 13 generations. Kawane, part of Japan’s largest tea-producing region, contributes just 2.5% of the country’s total tea output despite the region’s scale, its elevated terrain, misty climate, and mineral-rich soil are prized for producing slower-grown, more complex leaves. KOKO Kawane’s quaint 15-seat atelier is built around that provenance story, pairing floor-to-ceiling natural light with organic counter curves inspired by Kawane’s mountain terrain, and anchored by a custom 3D landscape model of the Ohashi family’s tea fields.

The latte menu offers three unique matcha expressions: the single-origin Okumidori (S$13.50) delivers a full-bodied, umami-forward cup with a naturally sweet finish, the signature Soemon Blend (S$12.50) combines three cultivars for a creamy, silky profile with notes of dashi and nut butter, and the lighter House Blend (S$8.50) balances umami with gentle bitterness. For a more traditional approach, usucha matcha whisked directly with water comes in crisp, subtly sweet Tsuyuhikari or deeper, smoother Okumidori (both S$7), with a Usucha flight (S$17) letting guests sample all three preparations side by side. Beyond matcha, the menu extends to a hazelnut-and-cocoa-toned Hojicha Latte (S$8), fragrant stem-roasted Karigane Hojicha, and fuller-bodied leaf-roasted Kasuga Hojicha.

The main star of KOKO Kawane’s menu is their freshly grounded matcha of the day (rotating between Okumidori, Tsuyuhikari, or the Soemon Blend) available for just an extra S$1. Their micro-mill uses a specialised low-heat Hibiki grinder that grinds tencha — shaded, steamed, and dried tea leaves into matcha.

The pastry programme, led by Head Pastry Chef Mei Kubota, draws its flavours directly from Kawane’s landscape. The signature Hisui (S$14) layers matcha mousse with hazelnut praline crunch and strawberry jam over matcha sponge, while Akane (S$12) pairs coconut mousse with mango compote, matcha crémeux, and matcha sponge — a nod to the colours of twilight over the region’s shaded tea fields. Guests can also opt for Ochagashi (S$15 each), the traditional pairing of tea with a complementary sweet, matching Tsuyuhikari with Akane or Okumidori with Kohaku.

For those looking to bring the experience home, KOKO Kawane’s retail counter stocks first-flush 2026 harvest Tsuyuhikari and Okumidori matcha (S$45 each), the Soemon Blend (S$40), and Hojicha (S$20), with a three-matcha gift set available at S$115.

KOKO Kawane is located at The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green, #01-02, Singapore 138617