May 2 is known as hachijyuhachi ya (八十八夜), literally 88th night. It is the 88th day from risshun (立春), the first day of spring. It is the best season for sowing. In the tea plantation, it is the season for chatsumi (茶摘み), tea picking.
The most beverage drunk in the world must be water. Second maybe coffee or tea. They say there are two worlds, people drink much coffee or much tea. Japan is tea country in that sense, I think. There are many kinds of tea in Japan. Sencha (煎茶): green tea of middle grade, genmaicha (玄米茶): green tea with brown rice, bancha (番茶): coarse tea, houjicha (ほうじ茶), roasted tea, maccha (抹茶): powdered tea.
In the tea ceremony we use maccha, and make tea with bamboo whisk called chasen (茶筅). We eat sweets before drinking this kind of green tea because it is so thick and bitter. I like green tea. How about you?
I also like green tea, although I've never had it prepared the way you've described it. I would very much like to try it some day. Also, I would like to attend a chado ceremony.
ReplyDeleteHi, Noah.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
When I go to Seattle area next time, I hope to serve Japanese tea for you.