Time for TEA!!

The magazines featuring tea with catchy titles have been published one after another recently, which wasn’t seen before.

Also more tea events have been held here and there. Soon, another tea event hosted by one of the giant department stores in Osaka is coming. The event has a title that says everything: “World Tea Festival”. 

Tea didn’t attract people. Tea was a just like “garnish” for sweets. but now people are fascinated by tea itself. Still, coffee is more popular here, but tea’s popularity has been rising sharply! Hope it will last….:-)

Nagata Agricultural Method

This is the black tea (fujikaori cultivar) from Ota Family’s farm in Ureshino city, Saga prefecture.

Since Ureshino is one of the biggest producing areas for “tama ryokucha (lit: ball green tea)”, they also process steamed “tama ryokucha”. In addition, they are also known for a special agricultural technique, which is called “Nagata agricultural method”.

To put it very simply, the Nagata method, started by Mr Terukichi NAGATA (1926-2006),  rejects any agricultural chemistry, pesticide and herbicide, and only supplements the nutrients in the soil with minimum amount of water and vegetable-quality compost. This helps bring out the nature and power of tea. (according to my research) 

I am not a farmer, but I can easily imagine that it must require immense time and labor to grow tea in such a special way. They grow several cultivars including zairai, sayamakaori, okumusashi, fujikaori and yabukita with this method. Unfortunately, I don't have their green tea in stock now, but luckily their black is on hand. :-)

* Tama ryokucha

Like regular Sencha, the leaves are either steamed or pan-fired after they are plucked. Unlike regular Sencha, which is rolled into needle shape at the final stage, there is no rolling process for tamaryokucha. That’s why the leaves are curly like a comma-shaped bead. Steamed tamaryokucha is  also called “mushi guri” or “guri cha”

"Bitter" for Tea and "Bitter" for Beer

George Orwell said “ Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to bitter” in his writing, A Nice Cup of Tea.

I like it, but my interest here is the word “bitter”. 

Unlike English language, Japanese has different words between bitter for beer and the one for tea. I mean “nigai” for beer, and “shibui” for tea. Also we say “nigai” chocolate for bitter chocolate, and "nigai" coffee for bitter coffee. We say “shibui” green tea for bitter green tea.

I know that English language has the word, astringency, for tea. But it is interesting to know  that “bitter” can be covered the taste both of beer and tea. 

“Shibui” is astringency like tea while “nigai” is bitterness like beer, coffee, dark chocolate etc. If you are a tea person, it does no harm to know it.

All-Time High Price Tea !!

The first auction sale of the year in Shizuoka was held on April 24^th. 

The price rose to a record high. Can you guess how much one kilogram tea is?? It’s 1,080,000 yen per kilogram!!!!! I know this is a season-opening festive market, but even so it’s ten times more than the best price before, which was 88,000 yen. 

In Japan, people celebrate the one who become 108 years old as “Chaju”, which literally means “tea celebration”. Taking the number 108 as a happy and lucky one, a buyer bid such a high price. What a generous buyer!!

This special hand-rolled tea is made from the cultivar of “Saemidori”. Roughly speaking, it would be more than 1000 yen per teacup. Would you like to try some? It can be a once-in- a lifetime experience^^) 

 

at the Shizuoka tea market (from Nikkei Online)

from  Nikkei Online

Shincha and Sencha

Did you know that Shincha is a kind of Sencha, but Sencha is not always Shincha??

“Sen” for Sencha means “to decoct” or “ to extract the essence”, and Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan.

“Shin” for Shincha means “new” or “fresh”, so Shincha means new tea, which is spring tea produced by first flush. When we say Shincha, it almost always refers to “spring Sencha”, which means that Sencha produced by first flush. Shincha is especially characterized by a fresh and grassy aroma since they are made from the fresh and young buds and leaves. 

You can buy Sencha in all seasons of the year, but  Shincha is found only in spring. Enjoy!

japanese character "Shincha" by Ippodo

“Hoga Sengen" in 2017

The Kyoto tea authority announced “hoga sengen” (budding announcement) on April 7^th 2017.

It’s 2 days later than usual because the average temperature in March was a bit low. The announcement is annually issued when about 70% of new buds of “Yabukita” cultivar (the most common cultivar to produce green tea) cultivated at a research institute are grown about twice as big as the size of leaves which are wrapped the buds. Usually, about one month after hoga sengen, tea is ready to be plucked.

Sakura flowers are at their best now here. When finished, it is “tea” turn! 

Discover Premium Green 2017 in Kyoto

Tea Expo 2017 "Discover Premium Green" in Kyoto just started. Various tea events are planning to be held here and there in Kyoto thought the year. 

As its opening event,  "Sakura chakai (Sakura tea party)" in the open air was held on April 1 and 2. If lucky enough, we could take a walk along a row of Sakura and enjoyed the beautiful scenery while having tea, but…..a bit early for Sakura this year.

It's supposed to be this according to the leaflet.

Unfortunately.....a bit early for Sakura

Even so, it was a lovely day! People had a tea under the beautiful sky, which made it more special.

I had a Gyokuro and Sencha with sweets.

Of course, there are several booths to sell tea and tea sweets including Matcha ice cream and Hojicha ice cream (What a long queue for it!!) . I saw some tea farmers and tea people I know.

If you have a plan to visit to Kyoto this year, check it out if you can join the part of the tea event!