This gallery contains 2 photos.
Shizuoka has multihued agricultural products more than 400, and every products are fine quality. This is the reason why Shizuoka is called as “Food-Capital of Japan”. In addition, agricultural products of finest quality are called as “Agricultural Artifacts”. In this … Continue reading
This gallery contains 10 photos.
On the way back to the office or my home, nice scenes come into my view in night times. I’d like to show such nice scenes for you. Creeping night on the tea plantation. The moon on the top of … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
If you visit to Shizuoka, please enjoy seeing Mt. Fuji, of course seeing tea plantation and tasting various teas also. In Shizuoka prefecture, we can see Mt. Fuji from almost everywhere. Mt. Fuji beyond tea plantations as follows. At Shirai … 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!”
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Two competitions of photo rogaining will be held in Shizuoka in 2016 at this time. 1st one will be held in Shizuoka city on 31th January. 2nd one will be held in Numazu city on 20th March. Photo rogaining is … Continue reading
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!
If you are interested in green tourism and Japan, I’d like to recommend Shizuoka prefecture in Japan, the kingdom of Japanese tea, as a candidate for “EverGreen tourism”! *
Tea plant (the scientific name, “Camellia Sinensis”) is a species of evergreen plant, so we can see the deep green color of lush tea plant even in the autumn and winter time.
In the autumn time, we can enjoy one of the most beautiful and fantastic scene in Japan, the contrast of deep green of tea plants and autumn color of red, yellow or orange of seasonal plants as below.
Especially, Shizuoka is the most recommended site! Shizuoka has a variety of tea gardens located in diverse geography such as plateau, hillside, slopeside of the mountain, riverside and so on.
For example, on the plateau, the sea of tea plantation fills our view.
On the other hand, at the slopeside, a wealth of multihued plants could feast our eyes.
In addition, we can get the view of Mt. Fuji through tea gardens.
In this year, it is still warm compared with every year, thus plants still keep autumn tinge.
Perhaps, it will keep for fewer than 2 weeks. So it is the last opportunity to enjoy the autumn of Japan as a green tourism in this season. So anyway, we can enjoy “EverGreen tourism” through the year!
I hope you will enjoy Japanese autumn atmosphere with tea plants, and in addition, enjoy Japanese tea or related products in tea shops. I’d be grateful if you find pages of “Tea shops and products” and “Guide for trips” useful as a guide for your tour.
*Now the map for Makinohara tour is being prepared. I’m planning to add other activities we can enjoy with green tourism, such as lunch, seasonal events, cultural programs, heritages and so on.
I’d be happy if you refer to the guide map of Makinohara city in Shizuoka or the other useful websites.
*Disclaimer : Here, I mean “EverGreen tourism” as “A type of green tourism, to mainly visit the sites where we can enjoy evergreen plants”. Although there are a lot of companies that have its name containing the word “evergreen tourism” worldwide, I never intend to make someone confuse or misunderstand. I would just like to intend a play on word.
This gallery contains 15 photos.
Colorful leaves and flowers make us happy! We can enjoy autumn crimson and yellow along with evergreen tea plants in Makinohara plateau, especially on its terrace sides. Cold dry air and sunshine create fantastic scenes and beautiful landscape. Tea leaves … Continue reading