By definition, green tea is minimally oxidized. This means that out of all the types of tea, green tea is closest to the natural state of the tea leaves...
Podcast 049: Tea Ceremony Online Course
In this episode I talk with Tyas Sosen about his 6 week tea ceremony intensive course. At the end of the course, you will be able to perform a...
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...
Introduction to Professional Japanese Tea Evaluation
Professional tea tasters in Japan have their own way to evaluate teas. One of the main goals is to identify flaws, because unrefined teas are evaluated by the wholesalers...
The Okuhikari Tea Cultivar
Okuhikari (おくひかり) is a cultivar used for sencha and kamairicha. It offers a good color and aroma. Regarding its name, oku means that it is a late budding cultivar....
Yokan
Yōkan (羊羹) is a wagashi that’s basically a type of jelly. In its most common recipe, it consists of agar (a jelly made from algae), red bean paste, and...
Kobori Enshu
Kobori Enshū (小堀遠州) was a feudal lord and a famous tea master from the beginning of the Edo period. He was regarded as the greatest tea master of his...
The Koushun Tea Cultivar
Koushun (香駿, こうしゅん) has such a different aroma and flavor, that anyone can tell that it is different from the Yabukita cultivar. Nowadays, this cultivar is well-known among lovers...
Daifuku
Daifuku (大福) is a very popular wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet) that has many variations. Of course, this sweet is usually paired with green tea. It’s essentially a stuffed mochi...
The Kurasawa Tea Cultivar
Kurasawa (くらさわ) is a cultivar usually made into sencha, but occasionally it can also be found as a black tea. It’s not widely available, and unfortunately there’s few information...