Okaki (おかき) and arare (あられ) are rice crackers made of glutinous rice (mochi rice). Nowadays, the only difference between them is their size. Okaki is bigger than arare. But...

On January of this year, an event called Cyber Chakai (サイバー茶会) was held in Japan. It is sort of a tea ceremony but with the use of a projecting...

Sawamizuka (さわみずか) is a late budding cultivar with high yield. Its name comes from an alternate reading for the Chinese characters of the region where it was cultivated: Sabaka...

Senbei (煎餅) is a Japanese rice cracker that often has a flat and round shape. This confectionery pairs well with green tea. Although the origin of the word is...

Asahi (あさひ), which means morning sun, is a tea cultivar from Kyoto prefecture. It is especially suitable for tencha production. Other cultivars from Kyoto that are commonly used for...

In the West, the three main types of pottery are earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. But in Japan, there are four main types with different definitions, so that there isn’t...

Uirō (ういろう) is a steamed cake made with flour and sugar. This wagashi (Japanese traditional sweet) looks similar to yōkan but it has a more chewy texture. The flour...