I decided to start 2022 by reviewing a high quality sencha from Kagoshima Tea. The Chiran region refers to Minamikyūshū city, Kagoshima prefecture. It is a blend of first...
The Japanese Cast Iron Teapot
You’ve probably heard about the tetsubin (鉄瓶), which is the cast iron kettle. In the West, it is common to use the same word when referring to Japanese cast...
Green Tea for a Hangover
Many of us tend to celebrate by drinking alcoholic beverages. But sometimes we end up drinking too much, and experience hangover symptoms the next day. In Japan, green tea...
Karinto
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...
Wakoen Ou No Kaori Matcha
If I’m not mistaken, this is the highest grade matcha that Wakoen offers. It’s made with tea leaves from the first harvest in Kagoshima prefecture. Since this is my...
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...
The Tea Industry in the Metaverse
While it may take many years before we are continuously having virtual and augmented reality experiences, I think that it is inevitable. After all, a lot of us are...
Sugimoto Tea Sencha Fujikaori
Thanks to Sugimoto Tea, I’ll taste the Fujikaori cultivar for the first time. This asamushi (light-steamed) sencha is organic and comes from Fujieda in Shizuoka prefecture. I heard good...
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...
Kagoshima Tea Organic Benifuuki Sencha
I drink tea for pleasure only, as opposed to health. But my exception is green tea from the Benifuuki cultivar, which is good for allergies. Unfortunately, it isn’t the...
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...