Wagashi Delicate Sweets While the readers of this blog probably have a taste for matcha, we must admit that matcha alone can get a bit bitter. Enter wagashi: small sweets designed to be eaten while drinking green tea, especially during tea ceremonies. While early Japanese sweets consisted solely of fruits and nuts, by the end…
We have all heard of Contemporary Japan’s mass cultural phenomena of karaoke, manga, and pachinko, which have all achieved global popularity. Originating in post-war Japan, these pastimes continue to make a significant cultural impact around the world. Despite their huge successes, they are not in the same league as Old Japan’s cultural arts of kōdō…
It’s around three in the afternoon, and the perfect time for a cup of green tea and a tasty morsel for your mid-afternoon pick me up. Whether you might enjoy a sweet treat or prefer a bite of something more savoury, did you know that both have a tea type that they can be…
While the production of matcha green tea is a demanding and laborious task, tea makers from Uji, a small city about a 20-minute train ride from Kyoto, have mastered the technique and methods of cultivation to produce the best green tea in the world. Uji is also blessed to have the highest quality green tea…
Why Host a Japanese Tea Ceremony at Home? Many of us live a hectic lifestyle and often work in stressful environments. While we may enjoy the work that we do, at times we need to take a break and find moments of peace. A Japanese tea ceremony is one way to refocus the mind and…
Sencha Japanese Green Tea: Everyday Essentials Found in almost every Japanese household and enjoyed around the world, sencha is a mild and delicious green tea. It is the most common type of green tea. That postcard image of rolling hills and tea crops? They are lush growing fields that offer good sunlight and make the…
The Best Green Tea It is probably hard to say what the world’s best tea is. After all, it is a matter of opinion and tastes. Everyone has their own preferences, and there are countless varieties so it is almost impossible to argue which is the best tea. However, critics agree gyokuro (玉露) is a…
Yunomi: A Tea Cup Without a Handle If the idea of a teacup without a handle baffles you, you’re not alone. For many Westerners, it might be similar to the first time you saw chopsticks and wondered how they were used. For centuries, the Chinese have brewed and served tea in a handle-less teacup or…
Tokyo, like any mega metropolis, is a myriad of electronic billboards and maddening traffic, yet still manages to stay efficient in spite of the chaos. You may think that to experience the authentic ‘old Japan’ your best bet would be to travel outside of Tokyo, but that doesn’t have to be the case! One of…