Blessing - Tea Event at a Shrine-

An annual tea event was held at a shrine in Kyoto. Thirty-three tea stands open at the precinct this year. We enjoy not only Japanese tea, but also Taiwanese, Chinese and even Turkish teas. Isn't that exciting? 

It was so hot for this time of the year, but  good for  "teastand-hopping" while sampling tea, chatting with the owners and bumping into a lot of tea friends. The event has nothing to do with religion. That's more like the one to enjoy tea. Still tea is a blessing. Always...

 

Matcha, Matcha, Matcha!

a stone mill  -T-

Originally, Matcha is a drink. Especially, it is served at Sado (traditional Japanese ceremony) as a special treat. 


Now it is everywhere and has altered very much in appearance. Soft ice cream, chocolate, cake, cream puff, pudding, parfait, pancake…There are lots of Matcha-flavored sweets and snacks, which are very popular especially among female. 

In addition, we have Matcha bread, Matcha soba noodles and Matcha curry. 

Matcha is not just a drink anymore, seemingly it can be anything. It is versatile. 

Matcha Snacks!  -T-

Matcha Bread -T-

Tea Balcony!?

I just got some tea trees! Technically, it is called “Camellia sinensis” and what I got was the seedlings.

 I must confess that I have a “tea” tooth, but I don’t have a green thumb. In addition, I only have a balcony, living at an apartment building. I don’t think I will be able to have a tea garden, but I could be able to have a tea balcony one day. Ha, ha :-)

Tea!! -T-

Tea Lover-To-Be !?

Kyotanabe city in Kyoto is a well-known area to grow high-quality Gyokuro. If you are a Gyokuro-lover, why don’t you move into the city? You will get a surprise! 

In order to appeal their specialty to newcomers, the city gives them a tea set including kyusu (a tea pot), yunomi (teacups), yuzamashi (a container to make hot water cool) and some Gyokuro leaves. 

It seems that some move in without knowing Gyokuro is the city’s specialty. This surprise is always welcome to tea-lovers, but even for those who are not yet, it could be the first step to come to be the one!! 

Gyokuro -T-

Learn at Cafes

Recently, more “Nihoncha (Japanese tea) cafes” have been seen here and there. I suppose that many may attract the sweets more than tea, though. 

Anyway…. "Nihoncha cafes" often offer a tea set. I mean a tea set including tea leaves, teapot, teacup and hot water is brought to you. People make tea in accordance with an instruction by a staff member. Or they follow a piece of paper on which how to make a good tea is written.

 I have seen some young females making tea while reading the instruction. I could tell that they were having fun. Maybe, it was an unusual experience for them to make tea from a teapot because younger people often have Japanese tea from "bottle". 

I used to learn how to make tea at home, but now some may learn it at those cafes.:-)

How to make Japanese tea -T-

Kyoto Tea Auction 2014

The Kyoto tea auction was held on April 26th.  It seems that the quality is really good overall thanks to a favorable weather.

An average price per kg is 14,832 yen (about 1,100 yen higher than last year). And, the highest price is hand-made tea produced in Wazuka town, and is as high as 140,041 yen per kg!!  The auction peaks around the beginning of May and will last until around July.

Wazuka  -T-

Matcha Ice Cream at a Banquet

When a state guest visits Japan, a banquet at the Imperial Court hosted by their Imperial Majesties is held. Usually, French cuisine is served maybe using lots of Japanese ingredients. And for dessert, “Mt.Fuji-shaped ice cream” seems to be the regular menu, which I didn’t know that. Vanilla ice cream is used around the top of the mountain and Matcha ice cream is done around the bottom of it. 

Just impression only 

I would….maybe, I should say I “will” never ever be invited to the banquet at the Imperial Court and I will not have a chance to taste it, but it has to be good. Because U.S. President Barack Obama, who recently visited Japan as a state guest , was quoted as saying that he really enjoyed Matcha ice cream.