Have you ever seen a Japanese green tea with an extra step of oxidation? Neither had I until I heard about bihakkou (微発酵, slight withering), also called ichou (萎凋)...
Japanese Green Tea in Flux
It can hardly be argued that Japanese Green Tea is becoming popular and is gaining more recognition outside of Japan. Because of the recent discoveries regarding the health benefits...
Ippodo Hosen Sencha
It’s been a while since I reviewed a sencha, but thankfully Ippodo sent me their Hosen Sencha. This sencha blend is of premium quality according to Ippodo, and above...
The Soufuu Tea Cultivar
Soufuu (蒼風, そうふう) is a Japanese tea cultivar with a pleasant floral aroma. It loosely translates as “green wind”. It is intended for both sencha and oolong production, but...
How to Host a Tea Tasting Party at Home
As with many things in life, it’s best to taste a tea with the company of friends. Having a tea tasting party at home is fun for both experienced...
Matcha Chocolate Kit Kat
This chocolate bars are made by Nestle in Japan. Not only do they have matcha, it is from Uji! They come in a package with 12 mini bars and...
Podcast 019: Qterra NOVO Travel Tea Brewer
In this episode I talk with Pierre Baston, the inventor of the Qterra NOVO travel tea brewer. Imagine being able to brew multiple steepings of your favorite tea on...
Cold Brewing Green Tea
Did you know that it isn’t necessary to use hot water to brew your tea? Mizudashi (水出し) meaning “cold brewing” in Japanese is an easy way to brew your...
Japanese Green Tea Finishing and Blending
I recently saw a video from Japanese tea lover Shizuka Maitani about the final processing and blending of Japanese green tea. It is so interesting that it deserves a...
Fumio Maeda Original Blended Fukamushicha
I received this tea from Tea Company Sayamaen, a tea store from Tokyo that is over 50 years old. Much thanks to Kayoko Ikeya for personally giving me this...
Tamamidori: The First Cultivar Developed for Making Tamaryokucha
Tamamidori (たまみどり) is a very old tea cultivar, it was registered as Japanese tea cultivar #4 in 1953. Although it is still being cultivated, it isn’t widely available. I...
Strictinin: Another Beneficial Compound Found in Tea
Strictinin is a type of polyphenol with molecular formula C27H22O18 that is found in tea, cloves, guava, Japanese alder, and coast beefwood, among others. In a tea leaf, strictinin...