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On 21st Feb., Makinohara city and local tea stores held a wonderful tea event, named as “Makinohara concerto” in a traditional temple “Sekiyuin”. In this event, participants enjoyed a variety of teas and sweets provided by local companies, exhibition of … Continue reading
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Agricultural Artifacts Festival in Food-Capital of Japan was held on 20th Feb., in Twinmesse Shizuoka. Multihued agricultural artifacts created colorful scenes. In front of the entrance, bouquets of flowers welcomed us! Lots of people visited the booth for teas … Continue reading
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There is an unique legend for the origin of tea (Camellia Sinensis), apart from the famous Chinese legend of discovery by Shennong[082]*, the mythical emperor in China. *Shennong’s Story is introduced in many websites, especially China.org.cn is very easily understandable. … Continue reading
On 25th Jan, two notables writing various articles for teas visited and enjoyed Makinohara distinct.
Fortunately, I could have the pleasure of sharing some time to go to each place along with them.
In World Tea Museum “Ocha No Sato”, we saw a variety of items related to tea cultivation, production, processing, ceremony, culture etc.
Mr. Richardson explained about tea culture in Mongolia.
From the left side, Mr. Richardson, Sakano-san, Yamamoto-san, Steven, Ms. Hardie, respectively.
Mr. Richardson, “the tea maestro” as he say, is the owner of “Elmwood Inn Fine Teas”, writing a lot about teas worldwide. “Maestro” is derived from his former job, musician.
Ms. Hardie is one of the most prominent tea writers in Canada. We can read her posts in “The Daily Tea”.
Sakano-san is the CEO of “Soft-Lab”.
Yamamoto-san is the president of Katsumata Kaitaku Tea Production Cooperative.
Steven is a prefectural officer belonging to the division of multiculturalism.
Yamamoto-san explained about the miniature expressing tea plucking in the past time.
Yamamoto-san showed pamphlets illustrating “Ranji”, the special font of English described on the labels for the containers exported from Japan to foreign countries in the past time.
Beyond them, we can see the poster explaining about the traditional tea-grass integrated system so-called “Chagusaba Management”, which was designated as GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System) by FAO.
Various tea apparatus are exhibited.
Mr. Richardson told Ms. Hardie the mechanism of rolling machine so-called “Sojuki”, which is used for rolling and drying process to produce “Sencha”, steamed green tea.
We looked over the Japanese-style garden from the museum building. I felt “Wabi”-grace and “Sabi” elegance from the garden.
Beyond the garden, we saw a nice view of Ooi River and Mt. Fuji.
After visiting the museum, we looked tea plantation managed by Yamamoto-san.
Yamamoto-san told Ms. Hardie the status of tea plants in this season.
Fortunately, we could see the trimming by the machine, carried out by the colleague of Yamamoto-san.
Then, Yamamoto-san and his wife brewed his teas for us in his home.
Yamamoto-san brewed two types of tea, green tea and black tea.
The guests seemed to be satisfied with the teas by Yamamoto-san.
Mr. Richardson said that he could feel terroir.
I thought also and felt unique and original bouquet from each tea, as mentioned at the page of “My Sweet Ambers“.
The last place we visited in that day was Shizuoka Prefectural Research Institute of Agriculture & Forestry Tea Research Center.
In this institute, we tasted the newest type of green tea resulted from the research project named as “the third generation Sencha”. In general, Sencha has lower aroma due to steaming in its production process, however, this new tea has a nice and more abundant aroma compared with general Sencha.
The director of the center brewed “the third generation Sencha”. The person with yellow cloth is a trainee from Sweden, Oscar Brekell.
Ms. Hardie gave a compliment the color of infusion is so nice. The color of infusion is clear as shown below.
And then, the director of Tea Research Center and Mr Oscar introduced the laboratory, which is open to tea farmers in order to develop their technique and create new products.
Mr. Oscar explained each machine in the lab.
The prominent guests seemed to be satisfied to the program to visit Makinohara. And hopefully, they will come to Makinohara area repeatedly.
It was a great pleasure for me to communicate and go along with them. Hopefully, I wish I will meet them again in Makinohara.
In the end, I’d like to say “Thank you so much for your visit! And, May Teas Fortune Be With You!”
In the spring of 2016, Japanese tea cafe will open in USA supported by Cool Japan Fund (source:worldteanews.com). In this cafe, we can enjoy not only tea, we can enjoy Japanese pottery also! The pottery shown or provided in the café is “Hasami-yaki” from Nagasaki prefecture, located in southwest of Fukuoka.
Unfortunately, the sophisticated Japanese pottery in Shizuoka will not be exhibited or sold there.
So “Shitoro-Yaki” is introduced in this post, it is one of the best Japanese potteries for tea or tea ceremony.
Shitoro-Yaki is made in Kanaya area located north part of Makinohara plateau. This area has abundant clay minerals of fine quality, perfect for Japanese pottery.
Features of “Shitoro-Yaki”
1. Resistance to humidity
– In the process of Shitoro-Yaki production, the vitrification is carried out at higher temperature to tighten the body of pottery, resulting its resistance to humidity. Perhaps, this would be because of higher content of clay mineral in its raw material. This feature is suitable to store loose leaf tea for long time.
2. Specific color – dark or subdued color
– Shitoro-Yaki has slightly yellow or red color with subdued atmosphere. Its raw material contains somehow higher content of ferric oxide comparatively. This would be the reason of its yellow or red color.
Kobori Enshu, one of the most famous tea masters in Edo era like Senno-Rikyu, loved these features. In the result, Shitoro-Yaki is certificated as one of the “Enshu Nana Kama” – 7 pottery loved by Enshu.
The author of this blog has joined a experience program of Shitoro-Yaki crafting. In this program, the craftworker gave participants some unique tea pots as presents shown below.
We can infuse tea by using this pot as follows.
There are some crafts that provide such kind of experience program. For getting the details, we should contact with the Shimada city Tourist Association*.
*The webpage of the Shimada city Tourist Association describes articles in Japanese only. If you need, you can see the webpage of Shimada city. By clicking “Foreign Language” button, you can read explanations in English, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese. Unfortunately there are no descriptions for the experience program of Shitoro-Yaki crafting in the page of Shimada city. If you contact with Shimada city, you may get some information in English.
Wishing you a happy and joyful life in 2016! And hopefully with tea!!
I hope tea and tea products would provide you many fortunes.
In Japan, the first sunshine so-called “Goraikou” has a special power to make us happy. Hopefully, I wish the sunshine through tea garden will bring you happiness.
In this day, the sky was so clear, resulting in so nice view of Mt. Fuji beyond tea gardens. It seems that the scared mountain Fuji empowers tea gardens!
Scenes of the dawn in the mountain recalled me a phrase in “The Pillow Book” by Sei Shounagon, an ancient poet in Japan as follows.
Such scene came into my view like below.
On the tea garden located the edge of mountain, I could watch that the color of tea plants surface changed from slightly dark to faint red.
The sky in this day was too clear for me to find purplish cloud tail over them.
The first day of 2016 provided so wonderful scenes!!
*As for the title, MTFBWY means not only “May The Force Be With You”, it does mean “May Teas & Fortunes Be With You” also, just in my personal opinion 🙂
I hope Shizuoka teas bring you a prosperity!