Discoveries from around the archipelago
Thanks to Courtney for this month's post on one of my favorite indulgences here in Japan. I wish she lived next door to me so she could make wagashi at my whim! 😉 Last week, I received a gorgeous gift from a dear friend in Japan. She sent me the book Wagashi by Hajime Nakamura.... Continue Reading →
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this monthly segment for a year! But more importantly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write about matcha, or Japanese green tea. Matcha is a staple in my kitchen.  I enjoy a cup in the morning or use it for baking. Matcha is a bitter green tea that turns into a... Continue Reading →
Well, let's bring this tea obsession to a close, shall we? I promise you all, I conducted a ridiculously thorough raid on my photo files this weekend to see if I could come up with any other manhole covers. Aside from Tokyo's less than inspiring sakura design and a few rather hazy ones I took in western Tokyo... Continue Reading →
We'll round out this miniseries on tea with a family friendly activity in Shizuoka. You might remember Kanaya station from the post a few days ago on the Oigawa Railway. A short taxi ride in the other direction from the station brings you to Greenpia Makinohara. The plains of Makinohara are some of the most... Continue Reading →
Shizuoka Prefecture is well known for its tea fields - especially with the iconic Mt Fuji looming over them - but if you happen to be traveling the southern reaches of Japan instead, you can get your tea fix at the Yame Central Tea Garden in southern Fukuoka Prefecture. Admittedly, the name is a bit... Continue Reading →
You might think I am deviating from the theme of tea, after promising more entries on Japan's "green gold" last week. However, this unique experience will have you riding through some of Shizuoka's most picturesque tea growing regions. Kanaya is a small town on the Tokaido Main Line between Shizuoka and Hamamatsu cities. While there's... Continue Reading →
Though Starbucks has indeed invaded the Japanese archipelago, this country has traditionally run on tea. Since its importation from China sometime in the 9th century, tea has become the drink of choice, the gatorade of the samurai class and the Miller Lite of the masses. Certain prefectures in Japan are known for their tea production,... Continue Reading →
A true tea ceremony is not for the faint of heart. Or rather, for the weak of knee. Traditional tea ceremonies (ie those not performed for tourists) can last up to four or five hours, depending on if a meal is served or not. Thankfully, all of my experiences have been brief. But an hour’s... Continue Reading →
Welcome to tea week! No, there's no official pronouncement anywhere that makes this week the one to celebrate all things chado (the way of tea) related, but a quick glance through some of my old pictures the other night reminded me of one of my favorite experiences of the past three years - leading the tea... Continue Reading →
