Stand up! Spring!! ....??

In 2015, February 4^th is “Risshuun”, literally means “stand up spring”. The day is considered  “the first day of spring” according to the lunar calendar. It’ too chilly to feel “spring” yet, but maybe spring will soon stand up to encompass us with warmth. 

With the approaching of spring, it is the time for tea-lovers to count 88. The 88th day counting from risshun is a special ‘tea day’ known as hachiju-hachiya (literally, “eighty-eight night”). It is believed that drinking green tea made from tea leaves picked on hachiju-hachiya will bring you good health for the year. Tea festivals are annually held at tea-producing areas including Kyoto and Shizuoka on the day. And also it is the time that  “shincha”, 2015 new tea, will come in!

Mr Iwata's tea farm @Tsukigase in Nara