Oct 9, 2004
Zen Cafes
An article from the INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE takes a look at the growing popularity of Japanese-style healthy cafes and lunches.
Fashion-conscious natives of Tokyo are turning their attention inward these days – what they eat is as important as what they wear. Several years ago, the Tokyo fashion slave wouldn’t have been caught dead dancing at a less-than-happening club; now the same people refuse to be seen in the presence of ugly (read: unhealthy) food products.
No longer content to swill frappuccino at the nearest Starbucks, they are opting for Japanese green tea, “matcha,” ground young tea leaves concoctions and the gentle, caffeine-less “hojicha,” which is made from roasted tea leaves – all consumed in any of the Japanese-style “wa” cafés that are cropping up all over the city.
Jean Snow is a contributor to 
He will be contributing to the upcoming fifth editions of 
