In the autumn program of World Tea Festival, I could meet the nice arts of tea!

Painting and tower of loose leaf tea were presented by Temomi Hozonkai.

This painting of loose leaf tea draws Mt. Fuji and “Princess Kaguya” and her home, the moon. “Princess Kaguya” is the heroine in a famous Japanese tale “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter”. In this tale, the princess returns to the moon from the top of Mt. Fuji. This picture portrays the scene where the Princess Kaguya on the top of Mt. Fuji to return to the moon.

This art of tea needles is called as “Tenka Fuji”. “Tenka” means “number one”, thus the name “Tenka Fuji” indicates the best green tea in Japan, that can make a higher pile of loose leaf tea due to its edge shape.
From the Meiji era, the master craftsmen in in Fuji region have kept to sophisticate the skill of tea hand processing. Their skill is called as “Tenka Ippin” processing, which means “the best hand processing all over the world”.

Master craftsmen of tea hand processing can produce the finest loose leaf tea based on their long time sophisticated technique. The skill IS the art!!