Hachiju-Hachiya means “the 88th day counting from Risshun, the first day of spring”.
Generally Hachiju-Hachiya is 2nd May. In leap years, the day is 1st May.
This day is special for Japanese tea industry.
1. As a border between spring and summer
This day is considered as the border between spring and summer. Actually the weather after “Hachiju Hachiya” becomes more stable than April. As mentioned previously, the weather of April has high changeability, resulting in a sudden rainfall such as spring shower or sun shower, and subsequent fog.
In May, the weather becomes more stable and it is getting hotter, enhancing growth of tea bushes.
The most alarming climatic damage for tea cultivation is frost damage. Generally, late frost is considered to happen still Hachiju Hachiya. So, tea farmers get rid of anxiety against frost damage after Hachiju-Hachiya.
2. The best day for tea plucking
Although nowadays the peak season of tea plucking get earlier than some decades ago, Hachiju-Hachiya has been considered as the best day for tea plucking.
Indeed, we can see tea sprouts grown very healthy and in vigor!!
These tea sprouts can be the best ingredient for deep-steamed green tea.
Best days of tea plucking and production provide lots of loose leaf teas of the first teas in this year, and then, sales of the first teas peak at the end of spring,
In retail shops of tea merchants, the flags printed as “the first teas of this season” are set up.
At the end of spring, the first teas have brought happiness for us.
3. Longevity and Prosperity
In Japan, teas produced in Hachiju-Hachiya is believed to provide longevity and prosperity for us.
Readily I brewed the first teas of Sagara Bussan co. ltd. and NAITO-EN.
The first teas made from hand-plucked leaves, “Hien”.
Deep-steamed green tea made from hand-plucked leaves.
So delicious they are!!
Sagara Bussan co. ltd. seems to fire teas strongly, resulting in the sweet aroma with keeping the richness of umami.
On the other hand, NAITO-EN seems to process teas under low intensity of firing, resulting in a special aroma of herbal and fresh green with beautiful liquor color of emerald green.
Thanks to these teas, I will be able to spend healthy life in this year.
At the end of spring, I’d like to give a message for you, using a famous phase of Vulcan.
Live long and prosper, with drinking Japanese teas of Hachiju-Hachiya!!
The end of spring stimulates my poetic emotion. I tried to make a poem for Hachiju-Hachiya.
At the end of spring, fresh teas bring happiness for us.
At home, at café, at office, we can share the happy time each other with teas.
Nice smells of fresh green with sweet aroma flowing among us like a warm wind of spring.
Nice smiles reflected on the surface of tea, although they seems to be ephemeral, they do symbolize longevity and prosperity like white lotuses on the water surface in the Nirvana.
We do not need a map for treasure.
We do know the best place for our pleasure
Where treasures’ smiles are bred for sure.