This term is commonly used in wine, but it also applies to tea. Astringency isn’t a flavor, but rather a sensation in the mouth and throat. It’s often described...
The Kuritawase Tea Cultivar
Kuritawase (栗田早生) is a very early budding cultivar that can be found in Kagoshima prefecture. Since southern Japan is warmer, early budding cultivars offer the advantage of having shincha...
Houjibancha from Okayama
I received this tea in a generic bag from a friend, I don’t know who produced it and my friend doesn’t know either. But basically, this is very similar...
Cha-miso Recipe
I saw this recipe at the theanoholic! blog and decided to give it a try. It contains spent sencha leaves, miso and mirin. Both miso and mirin are basic...
Podcast 042: Tyas Sosen Talks About his Latest Book
In this episode I interview Tyas Sōsen of The Tea Crane. He’s been on this podcast several times before. We talk about his book: The Story of Japanese Tea....
Marushige Shimizu Seicha Kabusecha Saeakari
The last time that I tried a tea from Marushige Shimizu Seicha it was very interesting because of how different it was. I’m excited about this one, because it’s...
Hario Filter-in Bottle
This product is popular among tea enthusiasts in Japan. I had seen it before, but I hadn’t used one until now. It consists of a glass bottle and a...
The Saeakari Tea Cultivar
Saeakari (さえあかり), meaning “clear brightness”, is one of the cultivars that has been getting the attention of Japanese tea farmers in recent years. This cultivar was developed in an...
Sugimoto Tea Organic Wakoucha
Wakoucha, or Japanese black tea, is one of the teas that I’ve been serving often at the tea tastings that I offer in my city. Beginners want to experience...
Sencha Vodka Tonic
Last week I held a Japanese food and tea pairing with my friend Kayoko. At the end, we served a tea cocktail: the sencha vodka tonic. It was a...
It’s Impossible to be an Expert on All the Teas in the World
I’m not being pessimistic, it’s just a humbling realization. The world of tea is immense. My focus is Japanese tea, which is just a tiny part, but even then...
Senbird Tea Kotobuki Gyokuro
Senbird Tea is a new Japanese tea company that imports tea and then ships it from New York. I’m excited about this tea because it’s been a while since...