Karintō (かりんとう) is a type of fried wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet). It’s normally made with wheat flour, yeast, and brown sugar. But nowadays there are many modern variations of...
The Yaeho Tea Cultivar
The Yaeho (やえほ) cultivar is quite old. It was registered in 1954. It is used for sencha and gyokuro. However, this cultivar is very scarce and it isn’t being...
Japan also Imports Green Tea
Japan is among the top 10 tea importing and exporting countries. It is one of the main green tea exporting countries in terms of total value, often ranking second...
Tea as a Wedding Gift in Japan
In the Kyushu region, tea is including as a part of a traditional wedding gift set. Tea as an engagement gift is called yuinōcha (結納茶), and as part of...
The Fujikaori Tea Cultivar
Fujikaori (藤かおり) literally means “wisteria aroma”. It’s mostly known for its jasmine fragrance. History of Fujikaori This cultivar was developed in Fujieda city, Shizuoka prefecture, by Mr. Morizono and...
Chabacco
If you don’t smoke, you might want to buy chabacco in Japan instead of tobacco. It’s a powdered green tea, sold in a package that looks just like a...
The Kiraka Tea Cultivar
Kiraka (きら香) is one of the white leaf tea (hakuyoucha) cultivars. This tea is rare because it is only present in one tea field of just 3,000 square meters....
Manju
Manjū (饅頭) is a steamed cake which originally comes from Chinese cuisine, but now it is a common Japanese sweet. This wagashi looks very similar to the daifuku, but...
About Tea Brewing Parameters
I believe that one should prepare tea in a manner that results in the desired taste. You have to find the right balance between leaf amount, water volume, water...
The Harumoegi Tea Cultivar
Harumoegi (はるもえぎ) can be translated as “yellowish green spring”. This tea cultivar is used for sencha. It has a pleasant aroma and a balanced flavor. History of Harumoegi In...
Dorayaki
This wagashi is very common in Japan. Dorayaki consists of red bean paste between two pancakes. It’s fluffy and sweet. One might think that it is a modern dessert,...
Can You Prepare Different Types of Tea with the Same Kyusu?
It’s common for people to have a dedicated teapot for a type of tea, such as green tea. I believe that this notion is more prevalent in Chinese tea...